Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify the 1997 international agreement that set binding targets for industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation of Environmental Protocols:
Kyoto, Japan (1997): The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997. It was an international treaty that extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It committed industrialized nations and economies in transition to limit and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions in accordance with agreed individual targets. This is the correct answer.
Montreal, Canada (1987): The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It is not primarily about greenhouse gases.
Doha, Qatar (2012): The Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 2012. It extended the life of the Kyoto Protocol until 2020. It was an extension, not the original agreement.
Paris, France (2015): The Paris Agreement is a landmark international accord that was adopted in 2015. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels. It is the successor to the Kyoto Protocol but was adopted much later than 1997.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The 1997 UN conference that resulted in an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions was held in Kyoto, Japan.