IMPLEMENTATION OF KYOTO PROTOCOL EXPECTED TO BE DELAYED.

NEW DELHI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Kyoto Protocol, which is slated to be implemented in the first half of next year, is expected to be delayed, sources said today.

The delay came as Russia changed its promise to ratify the international agreement within this year at the 8th Conference of the Parties (COP8) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which closed Friday in this Indian capital.

There are two preconditions for the implementation of the protocol.

More than 55 members of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change must ratify the protocol, and greenhouse gas amounts discharged by advanced nations which have ratified the protocol should exceed 55 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions by the 39 member nations classified as advanced countries.

At present, 99 members have ratified the protocol, meeting the first requirement, but greenhouse gas emissions by advanced nations ratifying the protocol totaled only 37.4 per cent of the advanced nations, much lower than the 55 per cent precondition.

Because the United States declared it will not ratify the international protocol and the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions account for 25 per cent of all global greenhouse gas emissions and 36.1 per cent of total emissions by the 39 advanced countries, Russia holds the decisive vote for the ...