Which greenhouse gas was added to Annex A of the Kyoto Protocol for its second…

Concept

An international climate agreement defines a commitment period and the greenhouse-gas categories to which its quantified emission obligations apply.

When an amendment starts a later commitment period, the decisive check is whether it adds a new gas to the treaty annex rather than merely retaining a gas already covered.

Application

1. The Kyoto Protocol’s original Annex A covered carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride.

2. The Doha Amendment established the second commitment period and added nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) to Annex A for that period.

Contrast

• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) was already part of the original Kyoto basket.

• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) were already an original Kyoto gas category.

• Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) were also already included in the original basket.

Cross-check

Comparing the original Annex A list with the Doha-amended list isolates the newly added gas without relying on option position.

Therefore, the gas considered for the second commitment period through the Doha Amendment was nitrogen trifluoride (NF3).