In 2001, the U.S. formally rejected the Kyoto Protocol and looking back on Kyoto's track record that is a very good thing. Ultimately, 36 developed countries were legally bound to its GHG targets and 17 – nearly half – of them failed to meet their GHG targets.

Was the Kyoto Protocol a success or failure?

Overall, there are more successes than failures and the sum of emissions from nations with Kyoto targets have fallen significantly. ... In that sense, the Kyoto protocol has been a failure. But it was unquestionably an important first step in global climate diplomacy.

Is Kyoto Protocol still in effect?

The Kyoto Protocol Ended in 2012, Effectively Half-Baked

But others continued to fall short. The United States and China—two of the world's biggest emitters—produced enough greenhouse gases to mitigate any of the progress made by nations who met their targets.