International

• In June 1992, the UN established the UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
• Kyoto Protocol

  This was to encourage states to agree on action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To monitor emissions and put policies/initiatives in place by 2005 to ensure progress. Only 183 countries agreed with the USA and Canada withdrawing due to the USA believing that too much leeway was given to developing nations e.g India.
• Paris Conference 2015

  Consensus on agreement made. Limit warming to 2C. Finance provided to poor nations due to extreme weather. Criticism from scientific community due to empty promises and a lack of penalties and fines if the agreement is broken.
• Carbon Trading

  The exchange of credits between nations designed to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. If a firm emits less than it's quota it can sell surplus allowances and if it emits more than allowed it has to buy allowances from other EU countries with 30 countries and 11,000 power plants involved.
• Carbon Trading Problems

  Its been criticised for having very generous national allocation plans and for excluding important sectors e.g. aviation, agriculture and transport. Companies who produce low emissions will have very little incentive to lower their current emissions further. Selling their 'spare' capacity would only provide some income but its unlikely to encourage them to be cleaner. Larger communities who pollute more can use their wealth and buying power to source carbon and no real incentive to reduce their emissions. Claims that some companies could be operating fraudulently as cheating is difficult to prove.