| February 16th is the two-year anniversary of | | | | benchmark and Canada reports that it is 27% |
| the inspired and contentious Kyoto Protocol. | | | | above 1990 levels. |
| | | | |
| The Kyoto Protocol is an amendment made under | | | | Alt vs. Nuke |
| the United Nations Framework Convention on | | | | |
| Climate Change (UNFCCC). Countries that | | | | Countries such as China and India are in |
| ratify this protocol commit to reduce their | | | | prime positions to make big contributions in |
| emissions of carbon dioxide and five other | | | | the battle against global warming. As their |
| greenhouse gases (GHG). Originally introduced | | | | economies are blossoming they can make the |
| December 1997 it went into effect February | | | | decision to take the alternative fuel path, |
| 16th 2005 with 160 Countries on board. | | | | in fact the decision could be critical to |
| | | | their continued growth. |
| Of those countries the United States and | | | | |
| Australia refused to comply with its | | | | The official China Xinhua agency reported on |
| provisions. The decision of the U.S., which | | | | Wednesday [Jan 17th] that rising temperatures |
| produces roughly 25% of global green house | | | | in China could reduce grain crops by over a |
| gases, to bow out has been widely and | | | | third in the second half of this century, |
| vigorously criticized. | | | | imperiling food security in the world's most |
| | | | populous country. |
| The U.S. Bows Out | | | | |
| | | | While alternative fuels such as hydrogen and |
| The Bush administrations denial of the | | | | bio-fuels are the most touted solutions, |
| existence of global warming and refusal to | | | | realistically their large-scale |
| accept the scientific evidence behind, it has | | | | implementation in most established nations is |
| been the most noted reason for U.S. | | | | not going to happen anytime soon. |
| non-participation, however a less publisized | | | | Alternatively many support already widely |
| reasoning was the U.S. governments view that | | | | established nuclear power as a more immediate |
| the Protocol was incomplete. | | | | solution. |
| | | | |
| The Kyoto Protocol calls on the high-income | | | | The United States generates a total of 15.43 |
| countries and the post communist nations of | | | | trillion kWh per year using fossil fuels |
| Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to | | | | costing $818.7 billion per year. By |
| reduce their GHG emissions as of 2012 by | | | | converting to atomic energy that same 15 |
| around 6 percent compared with the 1990 | | | | trillion kWh of energy can be produced for |
| levels. However given the participation | | | | around $314 billion, a savings of over $500 |
| criteria China, the world second largest | | | | billion. |
| polluter, and India, although having signed | | | | |
| the treaty are exempt from compliance and | | | | In November 2006 for the first time in its |
| enforcement penalties. | | | | 32-year history, the International Energy |
| | | | Agency (IEA) urged governments around the |
| These rapidly developing countries will soon | | | | world to speed the construction of new |
| account for 50% of the worlds GHG emissions. | | | | nuclear power plants. Many countries are |
| The active participation of these countries | | | | leaning that way; China has eight atomic |
| is critical to the stabilization of green | | | | plants under construction and plans to build |
| house emissions and the U.S. contends that | | | | 40 plants over the next decade. |
| letting them slide by on the honor system is | | | | |
| a major oversight of the Protocol. | | | | Nuclear power is cheaper, cleaner (in regard |
| | | | to GHG) and would be a solution to dependence |
| Kyoto Not Enough | | | | on fossil fuels, but it comes with its own |
| | | | notorious list of problems most notably what |
| Many argue that the wording of the initiative | | | | to do with tons of radioactive waste. A |
| itself is flawed, maintaining that the | | | | nuclear solution to global warming seems to |
| criteria and measures of enforcement lack | | | | equate by making a deal with the devil to |
| clear definition. Also the long-term | | | | save yourself from going to hell. |
| viability of the Protocols goals has been | | | | |
| called into question. Jeffrey Sachs, noted | | | | Too Little Too Late |
| economist, states in an article for | | | | |
| Scientific America; "The Kyoto Protocol takes | | | | Despite increased enthusiasms throughout |
| the long-term objective of stabilization of | | | | global communities and well-intentioned |
| GHG concentrations and transforms it into a | | | | measures such as the Kyoto Protocol, when it |
| short-term target on emissions reductions, | | | | comes down to it we may be looking at a case |
| with no clear link between the two." | | | | of "too little too late". It is clear that we |
| | | | are going to need to take far more aggressive |
| With the science of global warming moving | | | | action towards global warming, in order to |
| from theory to fact, many nations including | | | | offset the effects of World population growth |
| the U.S. have been working on legislation of | | | | and increasing energy demands. |
| their own to reduce GHG. Canada a long time | | | | |
| Kyoto Protocol groupie reveals that 59% of | | | | Our current actions are the equivalent of |
| Canadians feel that the Protocol is only a | | | | pounding laying a railroad with a tack hammer |
| small part of what each nation should be | | | | but if it is one thing mankind is good at, it |
| doing. | | | | is overcoming hurdles that are in the way of |
| | | | its advancement. Unfortunately we more than |
| In the two years since its enforcement, while | | | | often overlook the consequences of our |
| there have been marked improvements, even the | | | | progress. |
| strictest of participants have struggled to | | | | |
| comply. Even Kyoto Japan where the initiative | | | | The question is will human ingenuity get us |
| was born has found meeting its commitment a | | | | out of this one and are we smart enough to do |
| challenge. Carbon emissions in Japan have | | | | it without shooting ourselves in the foot? |
| actually grown more than 8% over its '90s | | | | |