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More than 3,000 aerosol samples have been collected since 1986 in Kyoto under various meteorological and environmental conditions, including episodic air pollution events such as heavy air pollution, Kosa dust, very clean air, etc. The elemental concentrations of these aerosol samples were determined by PIXE techniques, and elemental concetration data were used to estimate a source contribution of aerosols by applying a receptor model.

The concentrations of Si, K, Ca, Ti and Fe in both coarse and fine fractions increased tremendously at Kosa event. The maximum source contribution of soil dust amounted to 140 μg/m³ for a six hour average during a Kosa event. On the other hand, the concentrations of S, Zn, Pb and Cu in the fine fraction increased remarkably during heavy air pollution and photochemical smog events.

The Kyoto Protocol was the outcome of many years of multilateral negotiation and political compromise with the ultimate aim of reducing the risk of dangerous climate change. Unfortunately, most of the countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol have not taken effective action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, with many Kyoto countries not looking likely to reach their targets. There is also a lack of enthusiasm from major developing countries to take on the binding targets that form the basis of the Kyoto Protocol Approach. This has raised serious doubts about the viability of the Kyoto policy of committing countries to targets and timetables especially as a model for the current negotiations. As the science becomes more compelling that action is needed to curb greenhouse gas emissions, countries are beginning to look for more sustainable alternatives for the period beyond 2012. This paper outlines the key features that are needed in a new climate change framework beyond Kyoto drawing on lessons from monetary history. Using the analogy to the way modern central banks run monetary policy, it outlines an alternative to the Kyoto Protocol, which is a system of national climate policies coordinated around a common global price for carbon.