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According to the Kyoto Protocol countries must reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 2012, compared to 1990 levels. This is an overview of the contribution of various countries to this total emission reduction.
 | Australia: rejected Kyoto but would have been allowed an 8% increase by 2012 compared to 1990 levels |  | Canada: 6% total reduction by 2012 compared to 1990 levels |  | Europe: 8% total reduction by 2012 compared to 1990 levels |
 Western-European countries:
- Austria -> 13% reduction
- Belgium -> 7,5% reduction
- Denmark -> 21% reduction
- Finland -> 0% reduction
- France -> 0% reduction
- Germany -> 21% reduction
- Greece -> allowed increase of 25%
- Ireland -> allowed increase of 13%
- Italy -> 6,5% reduction
- Luxembourg -> 28% reduction
- Netherlands -> 6% reduction
- Portugal -> allowed increase of 27%
- Spain -> allowed increase of 15%
- Sweden -> allowed increase of 4%
- Switzerland -> 8% reduction
- United Kingdom (UK) -> 12,5% reduction
 | Eastern European countries:
Maximum 8% total reduction by 2012 compared to 1990 levels |  | Japan: 6% total reduction by 2012 compared to 1990 levels |  | New Zealand: 0% total reduction by 2012 compared to 1990 levels |  | Ukraine: no obligated reduction |  | Russia: no obligated reduction |
Many countries are threatening to not achieve these goals. If the goals are not met emissions must be reduced by the overload multiplied by 1,3 after 2012. A country has various options for measures to meet the Kyoto standards. Examples are:
- Plant forests and lower vegetation to remove more CO2 from the air
- Sustainable management practices in forestry and on farms
- Joint Implementation; countries earn credits when they jointly implement emission reduction projects
- Clean Development mechanisms; industrialized nations earn credits for projects implemented in
developing countries
- Buy emissions permits from Kyoto countries which cannot meet their target because of the costs Related pages Climate change glossary Fossil fuels: characteristics and effects The greenhouse effect mechanism Emissions and infrared absorption by greenhouse gases Explanation of the IPCC SRES scenarios The IPCC SRES scenarios: causes of climate change The IPCC SRES scenarios: consequences of climate change Possible policy measures to achieve Kyoto targets Trading emission permits to achieve Kyoto targets Discussions of the greenhouse effect History of global warming Perspectives on the greenhouse effect | 
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