Wednesday 16th of February 2005

Kyoto protocol: today

I’m watching euronews on the tube box and I was remembered that the Kyoto protocol comes in force today, as of roughtly 5 hours. Interestingly, of the 141 countries that have ratified the treaty and will have to lower their green gas emissions, the United States of America, the country with the largests emissions of planet Earth, is not one. In Bush’s words:

The world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases is China. Yet, China was entirely exempted from the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. This is a challenge that requires a 100 percent effort; ours, and the rest of the world’s. America’s unwillingness to embrace a flawed treaty should not be read by our friends and allies as any abdication of responsibility. To the contrary, my administration is committed to a leadership role on the issue of climate change. Our approach must be consistent with the long-term goal of stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

Even more interestingly, China emits 2,893 million metric tons of CO₂ per year (2.3 tons per capita) compared to 5,410 million from the USA (20.1 tons per capita), and 3,171 million from the EU (8.5 tons per capita). And while they are exempted initially, they will have to start meeting the goals entering the next decade. The USA now has the economic up-hand againts contries that did ratify the treaty and now have to find other ways to get electricity other than a cheap but very dirty coal plant.

And not to bash on the USA alone, Australia did not ratify the treaty either. Hum.

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