# Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement

Markdown version of https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/kyoto-protocol-and-paris-agreement. Updated on 2026-11-12.

The Kyoto Protocol is the 1997 treaty that set industrialized countries targets to cut six greenhouse gases between 2008 and 2012 and, with the Doha Amendment, between 2013 and 2020. Mexico ratified it in 2000 with no binding target. Today countries submit their targets under the 2015 Paris Agreement, and a company in Mexico meets them through the General Law on Climate Change (LGCC) and the National Emissions Registry (RENE).

> This page is general information, current as of its update date. It does not replace advice from a specialist for your company's case. Mexican laws are cited by their Spanish names.

## What the Kyoto Protocol is

It is a treaty under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, adopted in Kyoto on December 11, 1997[^kioto-protocolo]. It requires the Parties in Annex I to keep their greenhouse gas emissions within the amounts assigned to them in Annex B, with a view to cutting their combined emissions **at least 5% below 1990** in the 2008 to 2012 period[^kioto-protocolo].

- **1997**: year it was adopted in Kyoto, on December 11[^kioto-protocolo]
- **2005**: year it entered into force, on February 16[^kioto-untc-kp]
- **192**: Parties to the Protocol, as checked in November 2026[^kioto-untc-kp]
- **5%**: minimum cut below 1990 in 2008 to 2012 for countries with a target[^kioto-protocolo]

To enter into force it needed ratification by at least 55 Parties, including Annex I countries accounting for at least 55% of that group's 1990 CO₂ emissions[^kioto-protocolo]. It met that bar and entered into force on February 16, 2005[^kioto-untc-kp].

The Protocol also created the **Clean Development Mechanism**: projects in countries outside Annex I generated certified emission reductions, and countries with targets could use them to meet part of their commitment[^kioto-protocolo].

## The Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases

Annex A of the Protocol lists six gases, and the Doha Amendment added a seventh for the second period[^kioto-protocolo][^kioto-doha]. Each gas warms differently, so they are added up in **CO₂ equivalent** using the global warming potentials accepted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)[^kioto-protocolo].

**Gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol[^kioto-protocolo][^kioto-doha]**

| Gas | Formula | Since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Carbon dioxide | CO₂ | Annex A, 1997 |
| Methane | CH₄ | Annex A, 1997 |
| Nitrous oxide | N₂O | Annex A, 1997 |
| Hydrofluorocarbons | HFC | Annex A, 1997 |
| Perfluorocarbons | PFC | Annex A, 1997 |
| Sulphur hexafluoride | SF₆ | Annex A, 1997 |
| Nitrogen trifluoride | NF₃ | Doha Amendment, 2012 |

They are the same seven gases that the Paris Agreement transparency framework asks countries to report in their national inventories, in CO₂ equivalent and with the 100 year potentials of the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report[^kioto-mpg]. In Mexico, the RENE regulation includes those seven and adds other compounds, such as black carbon[^rene-reglamento].

## Its two commitment periods

1. **1997: adoption**: Adopted in Kyoto with targets for the Annex B Parties and a first period from 2008 to 2012[^kioto-protocolo].
2. **2005: entry into force**: Enters into force on February 16, once the ratifications required by its article 25 are in[^kioto-untc-kp].
3. **2008 to 2012: first period**: Parties with targets must cut their combined emissions at least 5% below 1990[^kioto-protocolo].
4. **2012: Doha Amendment**: On December 8 a second period is adopted, 2013 to 2020, with a combined cut of at least 18% below 1990, and NF₃ is added[^kioto-doha][^kioto-untc-doha].
5. **2020: end of the second period**: The Doha Amendment enters into force on December 31, 2020, the last day of the period it covered. It has 148 Parties[^kioto-untc-doha].

## What replaced it in practice: the Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement was adopted on December 12, 2015, entered into force on November 4, 2016 and has 194 Parties[^kioto-untc-paris]. Its goal is to hold the increase in global average temperature **well below 2 °C** above pre industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C[^kioto-paris].

The Kyoto Protocol was not repealed, but its last commitment period ended in 2020[^kioto-doha]. Countries now submit their targets under Paris, as nationally determined contributions (NDCs)[^kioto-paris].

**Kyoto and Paris side by side**

| Topic | Kyoto Protocol | Paris Agreement |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Who has a target | The Annex B Parties[^kioto-protocolo] | All Parties[^kioto-paris] |
| How it is set | A percentage of base year emissions, written into Annex B[^kioto-protocolo] | Each country prepares and communicates its NDC[^kioto-paris] |
| Period | 2008 to 2012 and, with Doha, 2013 to 2020[^kioto-doha] | A new NDC every five years, informed by the global stocktake, held every five years from 2023[^kioto-paris] |
| Gases | The six in Annex A, plus NF₃ since the Doha Amendment[^kioto-doha] | Seven gases in the national inventory, in CO₂ equivalent[^kioto-mpg] |
| Reporting | Annex I Parties add information to their annual inventory, reviewed by expert teams[^kioto-protocolo] | Biennial transparency report; the first one by December 31, 2024 at the latest[^kioto-mpg] |

## Mexico: ratification and commitments

**Mexico's dates in the United Nations Treaty Collection**

| Treaty | Signature | Ratification or acceptance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kyoto Protocol | June 9, 1998 | September 7, 2000[^kioto-untc-kp] |
| Doha Amendment | Not signed: it is accepted | September 23, 2014[^kioto-untc-doha] |
| Paris Agreement | April 22, 2016 | September 21, 2016[^kioto-untc-paris] |

Mexico is not listed in Annex B of the Protocol or of the Doha Amendment, so it had no quantified reduction target under Kyoto[^kioto-protocolo][^kioto-doha]. Under Paris it does submit targets: its NDC 3.0, from 2025, is the first set in absolute emissions and replaces the previous target, which was measured against a business as usual scenario[^kioto-ndc3].

- **364 to 404**: million t of net CO₂e in 2035, the unconditional target of the NDC 3.0[^kioto-ndc3]
- **332 to 363**: million t of net CO₂e in 2035 if international finance and technology arrive[^kioto-ndc3]
- **644**: million t of gross CO₂e at most in 2030, equivalent to the 35% target of the NDC 2.0[^kioto-ndc3]
- **18%**: of the country's emissions came from industry in 2024, on preliminary data[^kioto-ndc3]

The NDC 3.0 covers the seven Kyoto gases plus black carbon and aims for net zero emissions by mid century[^kioto-ndc3]. For steel, one of its lines of action is to **increase the use of scrap as an input** in production; another is to promote high efficiency electric arc furnaces[^kioto-ndc3]. See [steel and scrap](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/steel).

## What it means for a company in Mexico

Kyoto and Paris bind countries, not companies. They reach your company through national law: the General Law on Climate Change (Ley General de Cambio Climático), published on June 6, 2012, and its National Emissions Registry regulation[^rene-lgcc][^rene-reglamento].

- **If your facility is in a sector listed in the regulation** and its direct and indirect emissions add up to 25,000 t of CO₂e or more a year, you report to the RENE[^rene-reglamento]. See [who reports to the RENE and how](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/mexico-national-emissions-registry-rene).
- **The report is annual**, in the Annual Operating Report (Cédula de Operación Anual, COA), between March 1 and June 30, by gas and in CO₂ equivalent; every 3 years it comes with a verification opinion[^rene-reglamento].
- **Even if you do not report to the RENE**, you can measure your company's inventory with the GHG Protocol or ISO 14064. See [carbon footprint](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/carbon-footprint) and [ISO 14064](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/iso-14064).
- **What you send for recycling** goes in scope 3, category 5, of that inventory[^ghg-scope3]. See [scope 3: waste and recycling](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/scope-3-waste-and-recycling).

## Where a recycling certificate fits

Melting scrap instead of ore avoids emissions at the mill. These are **avoided emissions**: the GHG Protocol says they must not be included in or deducted from the scope 3 inventory and allows them to be reported separately, with evidence that the material was collected, recycled and used, and with the methodology and assumptions behind the calculation[^ghg-scope3].

Bluegreen issues one certificate per lot, with a folio anyone can verify online. The result is expressed in CO₂ equivalent, the same unit used by the Paris transparency framework and the RENE[^kioto-mpg][^rene-reglamento]. The impact is net: it counts what reached the mill, the lower of the origin and destination net weights, and subtracts each haul's emissions (Carta Porte kilometers × tonnes × 100 g of CO₂e per tonne kilometer, the GLEC Framework v3.0 well to wheel factor for a mixed fleet in North America, the ISO 14083 approach)[^metodologia-glec][^metodologia-iso14083]. Yard operations are not yet measured per lot and are not subtracted.

> **What the certificate is not** It is not a carbon credit: it cannot be sold or transferred, and it is not deducted from the emissions in your inventory[^ghg-scope3]. The current factor set is preliminary. See [how it is calculated](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/impact-methodology), [avoided emissions](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/avoided-emissions) and [recycling certificate](https://bluegreenmaterials.com/en/recycling-certificate).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the Kyoto Protocol?

A 1997 treaty under the UN climate change Convention that set the Annex B countries targets to cut six greenhouse gases: at least 5% below 1990 in 2008 to 2012[^kioto-protocolo] and, with the Doha Amendment, at least 18% in 2013 to 2020[^kioto-doha].

### Which gases does the Kyoto Protocol regulate?

Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride[^kioto-protocolo]. The Doha Amendment added nitrogen trifluoride[^kioto-doha].

### Is the Kyoto Protocol still in force?

As a treaty it remains in force, with 192 Parties[^kioto-untc-kp], but its last commitment period ended in 2020[^kioto-doha]. Countries now submit their targets as NDCs under the Paris Agreement[^kioto-paris].

### Did Mexico sign the Kyoto Protocol?

Yes. It signed on June 9, 1998 and ratified on September 7, 2000[^kioto-untc-kp]. It had no quantified target, because it is not in Annex B[^kioto-protocolo].

### What is the difference between Kyoto and the Paris Agreement?

Under Kyoto the targets were written into the treaty and applied only to the Annex B Parties[^kioto-protocolo]. Under Paris each Party sets its own contribution and submits a new one every five years[^kioto-paris].

### Does my company have obligations under the Kyoto Protocol?

Not directly: treaties bind countries. In Mexico the obligation comes from the General Law on Climate Change and its regulation: a facility in a listed sector that emits 25,000 t of CO₂e or more a year reports to the RENE[^rene-reglamento].

### Is a recycling certificate a carbon credit?

No. The Bluegreen certificate documents a lot's net avoided emissions; it is not a carbon credit and cannot be sold or transferred. The GHG Protocol asks for avoided emissions to be reported separately from your inventory[^ghg-scope3].

## Sources

[^kioto-protocolo]: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), «Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, arts. 3, 5, 7, 8, 12 and 25, annexes A and B» (1997). https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf
[^kioto-untc-kp]: United Nations Treaty Collection, «Status of treaties: Kyoto Protocol (XXVII-7-a); México, firma del 9 de junio de 1998 y ratificación del 7 de septiembre de 2000» (2026). https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVII-7-a&chapter=27&clang=_en
[^kioto-doha]: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), «Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol: second commitment period 2013 to 2020 and nitrogen trifluoride in annex A» (2012). https://unfccc.int/files/kyoto_protocol/application/pdf/kp_doha_amendment_english.pdf
[^kioto-mpg]: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), «Decision 18/CMA.1, modalities, procedures and guidelines for the transparency framework (FCCC/PA/CMA/2018/3/Add.2), para. 3 and annex paras. 37 and 48» (2019). https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/cma2018_3_add2_new_advance.pdf
[^rene-reglamento]: Cámara de Diputados, leyes federales vigentes, «Reglamento de la Ley General de Cambio Climático en materia del Registro Nacional de Emisiones (DOF 28-10-2014), arts. 2 a 18, 24 y 26» (2014). https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/regley/Reg_LGCC_MRNE_281014.pdf
[^kioto-untc-doha]: United Nations Treaty Collection, «Status of treaties: Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol (XXVII-7-c); México, aceptación del 23 de septiembre de 2014» (2026). https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVII-7-c&chapter=27&clang=_en
[^kioto-untc-paris]: United Nations Treaty Collection, «Status of treaties: Paris Agreement (XXVII-7-d); México, firma del 22 de abril de 2016 y ratificación del 21 de septiembre de 2016» (2026). https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXVII-7-d&chapter=27&clang=_en
[^kioto-paris]: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), «Paris Agreement, arts. 2, 4, 13 and 14» (2015). https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/english_paris_agreement.pdf
[^kioto-ndc3]: Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), «Actualización de la Contribución Determinada a nivel Nacional 3.0 de México (NDC 3.0), con la participación del INECC» (2025). https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/2025-11/NDC%203.0%20Me%CC%81xico_spanish.pdf
[^rene-lgcc]: Cámara de Diputados, leyes federales vigentes, «Ley General de Cambio Climático, arts. 87 a 90, 114 y 115 (última reforma DOF 01-04-2024)» (vigente). https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LGCC.pdf
[^ghg-scope3]: GHG Protocol (WRI and WBCSD), «Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 3 Emissions, version 1.0, category 5» (2013). https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/2023-03/Scope3_Calculation_Guidance_0%5B1%5D.pdf
[^metodologia-glec]: Smart Freight Centre (GLEC), «Global Logistics Emissions Council Framework v3.0, tabla 6: North American road emission intensity values» (2023). https://knowledgeplatform.ecta.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023_GLEC_FRAMEWORK_v3.0_September.pdf
[^metodologia-iso14083]: International Organization for Standardization (ISO), «ISO 14083:2023 Greenhouse gases. Quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions arising from transport chain operations» (2023). https://www.iso.org/standard/78864.html