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Russia to Ratify Kyoto Treaty
Repran writes "The Guardian reports that politicians, industry leaders and environment groups across the world welcomed the news last night that Russia had rejuvenated international efforts to combat climate change by ratifying the Kyoto protocol."
Think about it. Kyoto has 1990 emissions for a baseline. Russia's heavy industry was still going ahead mostly full steam from the Soviet days. Since then, their economy has contracted quite a bit and a lot of industry sits idle. I'd wager they've already met their Kyoto requirements and the hard part will be keeping emissions down, rather than cutting more.
Britain is somewhat similar in their Kyoto targets. The government was converting coal fired plants to natural gas en-masse already, so cutting emissions by 10% was a trivial exercise.
Too bad 98 senators sent a letter to Pres. Clinton saying they'd vote against ratifying it.
It's good to use your head, but not as a battering ram.
"It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance." - Thomas Sowell
They were converting polluting plants to less polluting plants. And, what is the problem? This is all Kyoto is about. Why isn't US doing the same?
Each CO2 molecule released right now in the US, will stay in the world atmospher for 100 years, possibly generating changes all over the world in the countries of the 6 billions of people which are not American.
I had a hard time believing that 98 senators would send such a letter, so Looked it up. I learned something today:
"Although the United States signed the Kyoto Protocol, the treaty has not been ratified by the U.S. Senate. In July 1999, the United States Senate voted 95-0 to pass a resolution co-sponsored by Sen. Byrd (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Hagel (R-Neb.), which stated the Senate would not ratify the Protocol unless rapidly developing countries such as China were included in its requirements to reduce greenhouse gases. The Clinton Administration announced it would not send the treaty to the Senate for ratification."
94% of Repubs and 21% of Dems voted to renew the Patriot Act
98 Senators voted not to ratify the treaty, and 2 did not vote at all. Thats right boys and girls not one US senator (Democrat or Republican) Voted for Kyoto, so how is this bushes fault?
Kyoto is seriously flawed, China (one of the worlds most industrial nations) and India (very quickly growing) are exempt for emissions requirements, its a joke aimed at the west..
Actually, China uses quite large amounts of coal and oil for its burgeoning industry and its surging automobile market. Their emission standards are very poor, and combined with their tremendous population, it has caused a significant air pollution problem, especially along the coast. China is the second biggest energy consumer in the world (behind the US), but spends 30000 Btu per dollar of GDP versus the US's 9000 Btu per dollar.
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Oh, and here are some references.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/china.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/chinaenv.html
http://app.quotemedia.com/data/newsItem.htm?story
China is currently using different methods of getting energy than burning dinosaurs,
Since when? Next to the United States, Europe and Japan, they're the Saudi's fourth biggest customer.
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
Which brings up the point, whats the use of a treaty if you can just buy yourself a pass?
If one country buys a pass, another country (Russia in this case) has to reduce its emissions accordingly. The net amount of world emissions would stay the same, but the richer countries (which generally emit more than poorer countries by necessity) would be allowed to emit more, and poorer countries get a financial reward for emitting less. That part of the Kyoto Treaty actually makes sense.
Rob