UK & international legislation
International policies such as the Kyoto Protocol are major drivers behind the EU and UK emissions targets and behind the legislation that shapes the business environment. On these pages we present overviews of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol and the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and present their impact on EU and UK policy.
In response to international policy, the UK has set targets for emissions reduction and renewable energy which have created the foundation for a wide range of legislation.
The Kyoto Protocol has set legally-binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in developed countries. It has also provided flexible mechanisms to stimulate investment in developing countries. Negotiations are ongoing to agree its successor, including critical discussions at
Copenhagen which commenced on 7th Dec.
Every five or six years, the IPCC provides an objective survey of all the literature on human-induced climate change in order to underpin climate policy.
The European Union has set targets and policies that extend beyond the original ambition of the Kyoto Protocol.