The Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997 in Kyoto Japan and came into force in 2005. Canada adopted Kyoto by a vote of the House of Commons in 2002. It is a sub-agreement, under UNFCCC, which was signed in 1992 at the Earth Summit and came into force in 1994. Canada remains a party to, and still has international legal obligation to the UNFCCC.

"I regret that Canada has announced it will withdraw and am surprised over its timing. Whether or not Canada is a Party to the Kyoto Protocol, it has a legal obligation under the [UNFCCC] Convention to reduce its emissions, and a moral obligation to itself and future generations to lead in the global effort," said UNFCCC Chief Christiana Figueres.

"It's a national disgrace. Prime Minister [Stephen] Harper just spat in the faces of people around the world for whom climate change is increasingly a life-and-death issue," said Graham Saul of Climate Action Network Canada.

German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen called Canada's announcement "unnecessary and in that respect very unpleasant."

A spokesperson for France's foreign ministry said the decision is "bad news for the fight against climate change,

An official in India said Canada's decision could jeopardise any gains made at the Durban meeting.

Even Japan, who like Canada and Russia was unwilling to sign up for a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol at climate negotiations, urged Canada to stay with the Kyoto framework.