The good news is the Kyoto treaty has been signed by 178 countries, a big step for the world’s environment. The bad news is the United States is not one of those countries.
After long hours of deliberation, the Kyoto treaty finally went into effect Monday with the help of a crucial player, Japan.
Paula Dobriansky, the U.S delegate, was present to give input, but was not received well by the other countries at the conference in Bonn, Germany.
She insisted the United States was pursuing its own environmental solutions to greenhouse gases, but was unable to show any results.
The United States was considered a very important part of the treaty since its inception in 1997, when it was drafted with help from the United States. After President Bush’s European tour in May, hopes for the treaty didn’t look bright.
As part of the treaty, $1 billion was to assist developing countries in dealing with climate control. Now that the United States has backed out, that number has dropped to nearly $550 million.
Among other things, the United States has complained China and India do not have to reduce emissions.
While the Kyoto treaty may be flawed, there was a reason developing countries are exempt from reduced emissions, whether it be a good idea.
The United States shouldn’t use developing countries as a reason to stay out of the treaty. We’re essentially saying “if they don’t have to, why do we?”
One good reason is that we produce a disproportionate amount of harmful gases. With only 4 percent of the world’s population, the United States produces 25 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases.
Skipping out of the treaty isn’t making a statement. We are not proving it to be a bad plan. After Monday’s conference in Bonn, the score is 178 to one, demonstrating the United States isn’t as much of a big shot as it thinks.
Since the last Kyoto treaty meeting in The Hague last November, the United States has had plenty of time to come up with its own alternative plan.
It is entirely possible there are better ways of fixing the environment than the Kyoto treaty, but the United States hasn’t suggested any.
If the United States really does have a better idea, it’s time we see what it is. Like a kid who hasn’t done his or her homework, the United States needs to be held responsible. This failure to produce an environmental plan sends the message that we as a nation don’t care about the environment.
Every country knows its economy is important, but we have reached the point where the economy needs to make a few sacrifices for the planet. Capitalism has worked well so far, but most people won’t like it so much when it means paying for bottled air.
Scientists have predicted major climate changes, including rising sea levels and devastating floods and hurricanes.
The Earth is more powerful than we are. If we don’t fix our planet, it will fix itself - with catastrophic results.
