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EU Ratifies Kyoto Treaty
An anonymous submitter sends: "Yahoo! News is reporting that all 15 member states of the European Union have just ratified the Kyoto treaty to cut greenhouse emissions by 8% over the next ten years (the US agreed to 7%.)"
Why do moderators mod up blatantly false posts? For the benefit of those in the audience, like the poster, who did not pass third grade civics, IT'S NOT THE PRESIDENT'S JOB TO RATIFY TREATIES. Presidents sign them (which Clinton did), and they go to the Senate, which must pass them by a 2/3 margin. The Senate voted 95-0 to not ratify the treaty.
So, one more time for our slower readers: Unless George W. Bush cloned himself 67 times and got those clones elected to the Senate, there is no possible way for him to ratify the treaty even if he wants to.
If it ain't broke, you need more software.
Kyoto is nothing more than another European inspired attempt at hobbling the United States and improving European competitive position. Europe, because of its much greater population density, needs less fuel than the US.
This is such a bullshit, that I can't resist. Europe isn't pushing the Kyoto protocol, because they want to "hobble" the US. Come on guys, it's not always about you... Europe is pushing Kyoto, because they actually care about the environment! What many Americans don't get is that environmental concerns are far more common and usual in Europe than in the US. And I'm not talking about environmental extremist. People DO care about pollution and the environment in general here. BY FAR more than in the US. (Yes, and I've been and worked in both places...)
Furthermore, its citizens already drive in tiny cars (due to extortionate fuel taxes and other laws)
Bullshit Nr. 2. Yes, people drive smaller cars. (I do, for sure.) But it's not only because of the fuel taxes and "other laws", but more because most Europeans don't feel the need to have two meters of steel around you. I (and no European I know) never understood the American affection for SUVs (especially in Texas. Why do you need all that trucks??). And people look for cars with high mileage not only because of the costs, but mainly because it's perceived as bad for the environment, if the car uses to much gas.
There's actually a lot of research going in this field. VW just presented the first one-liter-car (translates to about 230 miles per gallon) as a prototype.
and already suffer a much higher traffic death rate per mile.
Would you care to back this claim with some official numbers?
You forgot to mention 25% of the world's total GDP. It's not exactly surprising that the country that makes a quarter of the world's stuff also makes a quarter of its emissions, is it?
Makes and consumes a quarter of the world's stuff. It's not like the US is doing the rest of the world a favour.
What would Lemmy do?
Solar power? Hmm, good choice, but do you know how they make solar cells? Current technology uses (IIRC) gallium arsenide crystals and fluorinated solvents. So there is a disposal problem there during manufacturing and at the end of working life. The sun only delivers 2400 watts / m^2 maximum -- do some calculations, you'd need a lot of cells to supply the average household, let alone business! And what do you do at night or on a cloudy day?
I do not check the numebrs and I do not show some flaws you made here in the most common materials for solar power
I like to show your flaw in THINKING.
you'd need a lot of cells to supply the average household
So: reduce the need for energy of the average household.
Got it? Kyoto is about ENERGY REDUCTION. Not only about REPLACEMENT OF ENERGY SOURCES.
Of course it is a problem if EVERY Chineese household suddenly is rich enough to afford a fridge. Because every one will buy a fridge.
And suddenly everyone will consume more energy and produce more CO2. So a part of the solution is to build fridges wich use less energy. Europe does so, US not.
China will do it automaticaly by buying the best and cheapest fridges available with the lowest energy consumption.
Basicly China and India CANT reduce their CO2 exhaust. They definitly WILL INCREASE IT over the next 50 years.
USA *CAN* reduce it, for nothing in the long run and with great economic benefits. But the USA prefere to let Europe do it and buy the needed technologies in 10 to 30 years from Europe.
angel'o'sphere
Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
It's funny to see that everybody here is so concerned about this issue but a recent slashdot poll had the car as the top form of transportation chosen by /.ers.
If you want to do something you need to change yourself and the sytem will bend to accomodate your need.
To start with stop buying V8s till there will be more enviromental friendly and powerfull vehicles on the market. On the other hand stop purchasing products that involve high polution in their creation.