True or False: Kyoto

(CNN) -- True or False: China, India and other developing countries are exempt from the Kyoto Protocol

The answer is FALSE:

Despite there being a widespread belief that China and India are totally exempt from the Kyoto Protocol, this is not strictly true. Both countries have ratified the treaty under the principle of "differentiated responsibility" and are involved in discussions regarding commitments by large developing countries which will kick in post 2012 -- the second phase of the Protocol. By contrast, the U.S. as a non-signatory can only observe discussions and cannot participate in them directly.

The Kyoto Protocol was signed in accordance with the principles of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which requires all countries -- including developing countries like China and India -- to take action to address their individual greenhouse gas emissions tallies. The same treaty also requires certain industrialized countries to cut back their emissions to 1990 levels. The idea is that developed countries -- who are responsible for more than 75 percent of greenhouse gas emissions to date -- should take the lead in addressing greenhouse gas emissions, and this principle is consistent with the 1992 treaty, which was originally signed by the current U.S. president's father, George Bush and ratified by the U.S. Senate.

(Source: Climate Action Network; The Natural Resources Defense Council; Climate for Change) E-mail to a friend