Mission Protocol

The Mission Protocol of the 2013 class of Terrascope:

In response to the growing calamities of climate change, the following actions shall be taken to aggressively reduce anthropogenic effects on the environment. Signatories of the proceeding articles shall herein be considered as under the objectives and provisions of the Mission Protocol.

As following the mandates of previous protocols and agreements, signatories of the Mission protocol have agreed to the following-

Article 1- Definitions

Protocol shall herein refer to the Mission Protocol unless otherwise stated

Emissions include the release of the following green house gases into the atmosphere: carbon dioxide

Parties defines the signatories of the agreed provisions in this Protocol

UNEP shall refer to the United Nations Environment Program

Secretariat shall define the head and body of the United Nations Environment Program in joint authority with the World Bank

Signatories of the Mission Protocol shall hereby be considered in the following fashion:

Category 1 Parties which comprise of a significant portion of emissions with high GDP growth rate as measured with valid and accurate economic instruments

Category 2 Parties which comprise of significant portion of emissions with low GDP growth rate as measured with valid and accurate economic instruments

Category 3 Parties which comprise of a small portion of emissions with medium GDP growth rate as measured with valid and accurate economic instruments

Such designation shall be appropriated according to the following criteria: a weighted consideration of said party's gross domestic production, population, past/present emissions

Economic Growth shall be considered as degree of annual industrialization, percentage increase in gross domestic production

Article 2- Liabilities

In acknowledgment of the transnational nature of climate change the following standards have been set to determine national liability for risks and faults-

In regards to multinational corporations, all signatories understand and agree to the interconnected nature of the international economy. A multinational corporation shall be defined as any corporation or business with operations outside the domestic borders of its headquarters; all multinational corporations are required to define a country for which their headquarters are located. In light of this, all signatories agree that the primary responsibility, 75%, for emissions of multinational corporations is under the party with aforementioned headquarters, with the remaining 25% under the responsibility of the foreign nations of operation. The same protocols for regulation of multinational corporation still apply.

In regards to international trade, each signatory is allowed to cooperate and trade emissions permits with other signatories to be able to reach its emissions targets as established through this Protocol. The terms of agreement shall be made between actors themselves. Any complaints or conflicts may be resolved through a judiciary process under the jurisdiction of the UNEP and World Trade Organization.

In regards to international cooperation for climate mitigation as outlined in Article 9: It has been agreed that the primary responsibility of risk and accidents for cooperation between countries on climate mitigation projects shall be the actor that has initiated the project implementation. Penalties shall be incurred in the criterion outlined in Article 5.

The mediation for all liability claims and protests shall be coordinated through the secretariat and designated organ in the United Nations body. Those claims and protests brought forward to the secretariat shall be evaluated to the legitimacy of further consideration. The decision reached accordingly is final and must be evaluated within 12 months. Countries are permitted to resolve such disputes and submit the resulting agreement to the secretariat for validation. Any monetary claims shall be mediated by the established organ of the World Bank

Article 3- Time frame of implementation

Upon the expiration of the Kyoto Protocol, the following proposals must be implemented within 36 months of signature-

1) All signatories are to ratify this Protocol in its entirety within 12 months of signature in their respective and appropriate legislative or executive processes.

2) Following ratification, all signatories must implement subsequent regional and/or national policies in compliance with objectives stated and agreed in this Protocol; all signatories are entitled to a trial period for policy adjustments in light of the need to mature the international carbon market

3) All signatories may have some form of an emissions trading market, which must be evaluated for member consideration in the global market. The UNEP and World Bank shall facilitate this market through appropriate regulatory measures as agreed by three-fourths of the parties.

4) The implementation of an emissions trading scheme must reflect the carbon emissions goals agreed to in this Protocol

3) These policies must reflect the objectives in this Protocol in any combination of following areas to be considered in compliance, but are not limited to:

- Carbon air capture

- Reforestation, agroforestry, anti-deforestation, afforestation

- Carbon sequestration via sea bed, saline aquifers, in situ

- Biomass

- Alternative energies- inclusive of wind, solar, and geothermal projects

- Energy efficiency standards in appropriate areas within the national economy

- Reducing waste and increasing efficiency

4) Additionally, signatories recognize the need for transportation methods and pipelines for the viability of the above mentioned projects such that each signatory will cooperate with other parties to ensure that a network of international transportation is possible.

5) Projects not listed above and not defined to be within the terms above shall require explicit approval of the UNEP

6) A signatory must officially announce to the secretariat of a major imminent project and upon doing so must construct said project within a reasonable time frame to be decided by the secretariat

7) If necessary, signatories may amend announced project aforementioned

Article 4- Methods/implementation/Emissions goals

All signatories recognize the objective to achieve the following goals:

1) Overall global concentrations of carbon dioxide emissions to be 350 ppm by 2110

2) That each party is responsible for achieving zero growth in its annual emissions by 2040

2) Category 1 and 2 parties shall have the following emissions goals at a minimum without sequestration-

By 2020- zero growth in annual emissions for 10 consecutive years (World Energy Outlook)

By 2030- 10% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2025 emission levels

By 2040- 25% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2025 emission levels

By 2060- 50% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2025 emission levels

By 2100- 75% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2025 emission levels

By 2110- 100% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2025 emissions levels

3) Category 3 parties shall have the following emissions goals at a minimum without sequestration-

By 2025- zero growth in annual emissions for 10 consecutive years

By 2040- 10% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2035 emission levels

By 2055- 20% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2035 emission levels

By 2075- 40% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2035 emission levels

By 2100- 75% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2035 emission levels

By 2110- 90% reductions of annual emissions from the actor's respective 2035 emission levels

4)The agree above is not inclusive of carbon capture and sequestration technologies. With consideration of implementation to carbon capture and sequestration technologies, all signatories agree to stabilization of emissions by 2035 and zero emissions by 2060.

5) In order to achieve these goals, all signatories agree to pass an emissions trading scheme within their respective regions/countries, inclusive of the following components:

- A market mechanism for determining allocation of emissions permits and prices fairly and equally

- A policy to regulate the trading of emissions permits with and outside of the signatory's political borders

- An independent body for evaluation of the actor's annual emissions levels

6) Additionally, Category 1 nations agree to implement economic incentives appropriate for domestic and international trading laws for carbon capture and sequestration technologies; each Category 1 signatory shall be responsible for capturing and sequestering 10% of annual carbon dioxide emissions beginning in 2025.

7) In recognizing the need for transnational cooperation for the agreement in subtext 6, carbon capture and sequestration among or between signatories shall be regulated and negotiated by the United Nations Environment Program, if necessary.

Article 5- Enforcement

To ensure impartiality in regulation of the carbon market- the following bodies shall act as mediation and enforcement of the provisions agreed to establish-

1) The UNEP and secretariat as the authority over negotiations, mediation of legal conflicts between parties,

2) An organ of the World Trade Organization that shall oversee regulation of the emissions trade, allocation of emissions trading rights, mediation of conflicts between parties concerning monetary claims. Any other domain concerning international monetary or global market components shall also fall under the authority of aforementioned organ.

In order to ensure the credibility of commitments and action in climate mitigation, the following enforcement standards are agreed upon:

1) This agreement extends for the duration of this Protocol which shall expire on the date of signature two thousand one hundred.

2) All signatories are required to submit a holistic review of the previous 12 months of emissions, inclusive of comparisons with previous years' emissions.

3) All signatories are required to show proof of validity in aforementioned report upon request of the secretariat

4) All signatories are required to have methods of measuring emissions approved by the secretariat and evidence of such measurements.

5) Each actor is responsible for its own level of emissions as well as its individual projects as established in Article 3.

6) In the possibility of a signatory's project adversely affecting other parties, said signatory is solely responsible for reparations to be determined through the UNEP and World Trade Organization and subsequent repairs.

Article 6- Non- compliance

In consideration of non-compliance with emissions goals established in Article 4, the proceeding measures are to be taken:

1) A monetary penalty equivalent to 2% of the party's gross domestic production, as enforced through the World Trade Organization and UNEP.

2) Additionally, said party losses its voting privileges for the following year's conference for amendments and recommendations, as outlined in Article 11.

3) In the time that such a penalty is incurred, the funds shall be appropriated to help develop cleaner energies in non-signatory parties.

Article 7- Body oversight

In order to enforcement and meet the objective outlined in the Protocol, the following bodies are established as the highest and final authority concerning the agreements within this document:

1) All negotiations, mediations, and evaluations shall occur in the original location of ratification.

2)The United Nations Environment Program- Given its significant experience in environmental policy, the UNEP shall oversee legislative and executive tasks in negotiations, mediation, and enforcement.

3) The World Trade Organization shall expand its existing operations and have the authority and responsibility to oversee and regulate the international market for carbon.

4) As part of the enforcement of this Protocol, the UNEP and World Trade Organization are responsible for evaluating the information submitted by the signatories annually. An expert review panel shall evaluate the technical and scientific information to determine compliance or non-compliance.

5) This expert panel shall be authorized by the secretariat and composed of experts from all of the signatories.

Article 8- Methods measurement

To create a fair system of emissions trading, a standard of measuring emissions must be made:

Thus, an agreed system of measuring a party's emissions is the following:

1) A method of which the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change agrees upon

2) A method that ensures a fair and just allocation of emissions liabilities per party

3) A method that is scientifically unbiased and valid

4) Said method may change in light of the technological progress that may occur in which such new technology must be agreed upon by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Article 9- Additional measures

To encourage international cooperation between actors, the following programs are to be established

1) Clean Development Mechanism- a full continuation of the Clean Development Mechanism as established in the Kyoto Protocol shall be continued through the duration of this Protocol

2) A fund known as the Project Assistance Mechanism shall be established under the oversight of the World Trade Organization that shall aid the international market in adjusting to the price fluctuations and other relevant market disturbances. Each signatory is required to contribute to this fund in proportion to the percentage of global emission each accounts for.

3) A coordinated international effort for research and development to disseminate the full potential of renewable, clean, sound, viable, and cost-effective technologies for further climate mitigation.

4) Each signatory has the discretion to determine what technologies to invest research, promotion, and development.

5) A commitment towards the preservation of existing environmental habitats and resources, including but not limited to, agriculture, forests, grasslands, and endangered species.

6) All signatories agree to the abolition of domestic subsidies concerning fossil fuels, including but not limited to oil, natural gas, and coal to ensure market equality and the progression towards clean energies.

Article 10-Ratification

The process of ratification for this Protocol shall occur in the following processes:

1) Negotiations between parties shall occur under the jurisdiction of the UNEP and World Trade Organization

2) In order for the Protocol to be considered an international mandate, 75% of the parties participating in the negotiations must affix their signature in the appropriate area.

3) Upon signature, this Protocol shall enter into force on the thirtieth date after no less than 75% of participating parties have signed.

4) In signing this Protocol, signatories agree to the conditions outlined in Articles 1 through 12 and will proceed to ratify this Protocol through the appropriate legislative or executive means of its government and political system.

5) Ratification must occur within 12 months if signing.

Article 11- Amendments

In recognition of the uncertainty in establishing a mature carbon trading market and policy framework, the proceeding provisions shall occur annually upon date of signing the Protocol:

1) Each signatory is entitled to submit to the secretariat and World Trade Organization recommendations for amending, adding, or removing provisions within this Protocol; for consideration of such recommendations, each signatory must submit an appropriate and official report to the secretariat

2) The secretariat shall evaluate the proposals and communicate the resulting text to all signatories

3) For such any recommendation to pass and be implemented requires a majority of 75% consensus and agreement between parties

4) Each signatory has the right of input to the amendment of the Protocol that is equivalent to one vote

5) Amendments shall enter into force upon the fifteenth day of agreement

5) A Conference of Parties shall continue annually to evaluate international progress of climate mitigation, with the additional consideration of parties exchanging domestic experiences for improved policy framework

Article 12- Withdrawal

Ratification of the Protocol is legally binding for the signatory. However, recognizing the sovereign right of every party, each party has the right to withdrawal from the objective of the Protocol after five years of ratification. In light of this consideration, a party may officially withdraw only with justification of independent and aggressive actions to significantly lower emissions levels through appropriate domestic policies.

1) Any signatory that does withdrawal must provide to the secretariat an official notification of withdrawal

2) That signatory must retain the approval of the secretariat for proof of legitimate withdrawal

DONE- At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the second day of December two thousand and nine

In witness- the undersigned, having thus authorized the effect, have affixed their signatures to the Protocol on the date indicated above-

Anticipated signatories:

United States of America
European Union members
Republic of India
People's Republic of China
Federal Republic of Brazil
Russian Federation
African Union parties
Latin American parties