Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Scientific board founded by the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) and UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) in 1988. The IPCC reports new climate research findings, calculates the risks of climate change and releases recommendations for adaptation and prevention.

Joint Implementation

Instrument defined by article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol. It provides Annex B countries the option to implement emissions-reducing projects in other industrial countries. The funding country may count the resulting emission reduction units towards meeting its own Kyoto target. 

Kyoto Gases

See greenhouse gases.

Kyoto Protocol

Agreement adopted at the conference of the parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Kyoto in 1997. In it, the industrialized countries (Annex B countries) commit themselves to reduce the emission of the most important greenhouse gases by 5.2% compared to 1990 levels during the commitment period 2008-2012. The countries have accepted individual reduction targets. The precondition for the protocol to enter into force was its ratification by at least 55 countries which account for at least 55% of the CO₂ emissions in the year 1990. This precondition was fulfilled when Russia ratified the protocol in 1994.