ABSTRACT
At the global level, the Kyoto Protocol is a first step to achieve the United Nations Framework on Climate Change's (UNFCCC) long-term objective ‘to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system'. The Kyoto Protocol sets emission reduction targets depending on the status of the country within the UNFCCC. Annex 1 countries (including Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia and Turkey) had accepted the obligation of submitting annual reports and of reducing GHG emissions to a lower level than in 1990. The reduction emission targets were negotiated individually: the EU accepted the highest reduction target among the major industrialized countries (-8 per cent). The states which were members of the EU before 2004 must collectively reduce their GHG emissions by 8 per cent between 2008 and 2012. Member states which joined the EU after that date undertake to reduce their emissions by 8 per cent, i.e. Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia have individual targets of 8 per cent reduction.
