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