In 1997, in Kyoto, industrialised countries pledged to reduce the production of greenhouse gases by a minimum of 5% by 2012, compared to a 1990 baseline. The European Union set itself a reduction target of 8%. Germany aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 21% in relation to 1990 levels.

The European Emission Trading Scheme established by the EU Commission in 2005 is an import instrument for the implementation of the Kyoto protocol.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) jointly created the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative. The goal was the development of an internationally accepted balancing and reporting system for greenhouse gases.

More information on the results of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol can be found here.