Researching Emissions Treaties

Although the United States didn’t sign the Kyoto Protocol, which sets binding emission limits for developed (Annex I) countries, U.S. corporations that have facilities in developed countries which have signed the Protocol must comply with emissions limits for those foreign facilities. Your client, a U.S. corporation with subsidiaries in Canada and France, both Annex I countries, wants background information on the Kyoto Protocol and an explanation of its compliance responsibilities. What do you do?

 

 

·        Open Treatise on Environmental Law on lexis.com®

·        Choose “Terms and Connectors”

·        Type “Kyoto Protocol” in the search box

 

Six hits come up. Because the Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement, focus on the hits in Chapter 13, “International Aspects of Environmental Protection Under United States Law.” The first hit in Chapter 13 is the synopsis; click on that hit and do a search for “Kyoto Protocol.” That will show you immediately that § 13.03 [5.3] discusses the Kyoto Protocol to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Now go back and click on the second hit in § 13.03 and search for “Kyoto Protocol.” Keep clicking until you find subsection [5.3]. Scroll through the text, and you’ll find coverage of the binding emission limitations for Annex I countries, joint implementation, clean development mechanism, and reporting and review, as well as a discussion of the U.S. response to the Kyoto Protocol.

 

 

·        Open Environmental Law Practice Guide on lexis.com

·        Choose “Terms and Connectors”

·        Type “Kyoto Protocol” in the search box

 

Thirteen hits come up, but focus on the hits in Chapter 15, “International Activities and United States Environmental Law.” Click on the hit in § 15.02, and then go to subsection [2], which contains the main discussion of the Kyoto Protocol. Clicking on the hit in § 15.08 and searching for “Kyoto Protocol” will provide additional material, including law review articles with active links to go right to the articles. Clicking on the hit in § 15.09 and searching for “Kyoto Protocol” will bring you to the Internet link for the Kyoto Protocol.

 

 

·        Open Environmental Law in Real Estate and Business Transactions on lexis.com

·        Choosing “Terms and Connectors”

·        Type “Kyoto Protocol” in the search box

·        Click on the second hit in Chapter 11 and search for “Kyoto Protocol”

 

This search brings you to a discussion entitled “Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,” which covers, among other topics, the Protocol’s objectives, domestic reaction to the Protocol, the Protocol’s impact on the environment and the economy, and meeting the Protocol’s requirements through emissions trading.