The success of the Kyoto Protocol in reducing carbon emissions in the EU

Climate change has climbed to the forefront of global concern and has become the centre of scientific and global public debate. One of the most important treaties is the Kyoto Protocol (KP). The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the KP and to contribute to the existing literature. The study investigates whether the ratification of the protocol is effective in reducing emissions for European Union (EU) countries. As a result, 13 of EU Member States met their targets for both periods. Seven of EU Member States missed both targets. Six of countries achieved only one of their targets.