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Greenhouse gas emissions and the role of the Kyoto Protocol

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  • Hiroki Iwata

  • Keisuke Okada

Abstract

Our study empirically investigates the effects of the Kyoto Protocol’s quantified emission limitation or reduction commitments on various greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and other greenhouse gases consisting of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ). These GHG emissions are considered to be the main source of global warming issues, and 39 countries approved to meet the commitments by ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. Our empirical analysis is based on the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model, the stochastic version of the IPAT model, using the data of 119 countries from 1990 to 2005. Our main findings are that the effects of the commitments to the Kyoto Protocol are (1) significantly negative for the cases of CO 2 and CH 4 emissions, (2) not significant for the case of N 2 O emissions, and (3) significantly positive for the case of other greenhouse gas emissions. These results have important policy implications for global warming issues. Copyright Springer 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Hiroki Iwata & Keisuke Okada, 2014. "Greenhouse gas emissions and the role of the Kyoto Protocol," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 16(4), pages 325-342, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:envpol:v:16:y:2014:i:4:p:325-342
    DOI: 10.1007/s10018-012-0047-1
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    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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