How Syria's Failure to Uphold the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement Exacerbated the Effects of Climate Change in the Levant

• Author: Nivea A. Ohri
• Position: J.D. Candidate, American University Washington College of Law 2021.
• Pages: 26-26

26 Sustainable Development Law & Policy

how SyRia’S failuRe to upholD the kyoto

pRotocol anD paRiS aGReement exaceRbateD

the effectS of climate chanGe in the levant

Nivea A. Ohri*

The drought in the Levant Region of the Arab Republic

of Syria has caused massive destruction by disrupting

agriculture and forcing migration to cities.1 The drought,

induced by climate change, has destroyed livelihoods, struc-

tures, and health of scores of people.2 Environmental tensions

fed a political discontent that had long been simmering in rural

areas, and was a trigger for the Syrian Revolution.3 Syrians even

turned to USAID for help in 2008 when the Syrian minister of

agriculture stated publicly, “the economic and social fallout from

the drought was ‘beyond [Syria’s] capacity as a country to deal

with.”4 However, the impacts of climate change and the drought

in the Levant are still felt today in both Syria and its surrounding

countries.5 Syria’s failure to uphold commitments under inter-

national environmental declarations such as the Kyoto Protocol

and the Paris Agreement exacerbated the drought in the Levant

Region of Syria.6

On June 26, 1997, Syria signed the Kyoto Protocol7 and

thus expressed its interest in mitigating climate change.8 Under

the Kyoto Protocol, Syria is a non-Annex country, which means

that it is “a mostly developing country, vulnerable to the adverse

impacts of climate change like desertication and drought.”9

Due to its non-Annex status, Syria is not bound to fulll any

goals or standards, or to make environmental changes to miti-

gate the effects of the drought.10 Despite international environ-

mental law lacking major repercussions for violations, countries

voluntarily expressed their interests in making environmental

improvements.11

Article 2 of the Kyoto Protocol encourages Syria to imple-

ment policies such as energy efciency, sustainable forms

of agriculture, updated research, and innovative technology

in accordance to national circumstances.12 Syria also signed

the Paris Agreement on November 17, 2017, which similarly

encourages environmental protection.13 Article 6.1 of the Paris

Agreement states that parties should voluntarily promote sus-

tainable development and environmental integrity.14 Article 7

of the Paris Agreement suggests that Syria should mitigate and

adapt to climate change by improving effectiveness, durability,

and scientic knowledge on climate change and research.15

Although Syria made an aspirational declaration to mitigate

climate change by signing each of these treaties, Syria has failed

to uphold its own stated goals. Syria has failed to honor Article

2 of the Kyoto Protocol, which states that countries “should not

. . . mismanage and fail to govern their water resources, and use

old and inefcient technology in farming and agriculture.”16

The violations have led to national distress as resources such as

water, food, housing, and goods became scarce.17 Article 2(1)

(a)(i) of the Kyoto Protocol suggests that signatory countries

should prioritize the “enhancement of the national economy,”

however, this is an obligation that Syria has failed to fulll due

to its mismanagement of water resources and continued use of

old, inefcient technology in agriculture.18 As of April 2017, an

estimated sixteen billion dollars in potential agriculture revenue

has been lost through inefcient production, as well as in dam-

aged and destroyed assets and infrastructure within the agricul-

ture sector.19

Likewise, Article 2(1)(a)(iv) suggests that countries should

implement policies to further enhance “research on, and promo-

tion, development and increased use of, new and renewable

forms of energy.”20 Syria has neither devoted resources nor funds

to environmental research and preservation, though it seems as

if Syria is making some effort and consideration to the matter.21

Both the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement encour-

age the signatories to use resources as efciently and sustain-

ably as possible.22 A state violates a treaty when it uses more

than its allotted resources, and Syria used more than its allotted

resources without redeeming itself after the initial violation.23

Although there are few enforcement mechanisms that could

incentivize Syria to submit update reports on its environmental

progress, Syria has not voluntarily submitted an updated report

on its progress and standing since 2010.24 By using its resources

inefciently and outdatedly, and then failing to report its efforts

to adhere to the treaties, Syria has failed to meet the goals

that it adopted when signing the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris

Agreement.25

The Paris Agreement is a treaty that Syria signed after the

2011 revolution, yet few improvements in water preservation

or distribution of resources have been made.26 The progress is

in similar standing to the Kyoto Protocol.27 The hot and humid

region of the Levant is suffering from climate change and water

scarcity.28 It is essential that Syria abide by the rules of the

treaties it has signed in order to further mitigate environmental

degradation and national distress. Because the environment is

directly linked to economic and political stability and growth,

with a better environment and basic needs of its inhabitants ful-

lled, Syria along with the Earth, will be more prosperous.29

*J.D. Candidate, American University Washington College of Law 2021.

continued on page 34