Annotated Timeline of Pivotal Climate Policies
Global & U.S. highlights
This page distills major policy milestones into concise, scientist-level notes: policy mechanism, scope, expected signal on emissions or technology adoption, and links you may want to consult before deeper reading.
Climate Policy Timeline (for Scientists)
An annotated sequence of pivotal climate policies—what each one does, how it works (mechanisms), and why it matters for mitigation, adaptation, and research. Use this as a quick map before diving into primary sources.
1997 — Kyoto Protocol
First binding international agreement to limit GHGs for developed nations. Mechanism: national caps with emissions trading & CDM/JI. Limitations: partial coverage, baseline-credit complexity, and uneven participation.
2009 — U.S. EPA Endangerment Finding
Establishes that GHGs endanger public health and welfare under the Clean Air Act. Mechanism: unlocks EPA authority to regulate CO₂ and co-emitted species from mobile & stationary sources; anchors later U.S. rulemakings.
2015 — Paris Agreement
Global framework with nationally determined contributions (NDCs), transparency, five-year ratchet cycles, and a temperature goal “well below 2 °C”. Mechanism: pledge-and-review with measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV).
2022 — U.S. Inflation Reduction Act
Large-scale incentives for clean electricity, transport, industry, and buildings. Mechanism: tax credits, rebates, and financing that shift cost curves and drive deployment; complements standards and state policies.
2025 — Methane Myths in the Media
How methane is portrayed vs how it's actually measured.
2025 — Methane Myths in the Media
How methane is portrayed vs how it's actually measured.