Russia will not ratify Kyoto

[YogsVR4]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...a_031202142947

Russia shows some brass in realizing that Kyoto is not a practical thing to do.

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The article.....

Russia said it will not ratify the UN Kyoto Protocolin its present form because it would hamper the country's economic growth, in a major blow to the global accord on reducing greenhouse gases.

In its current form, the Kyoto protocol places significant limitations on the economic growth of Russia," Andrei Illarionov, Vladimir Putin's chief advisor on economic issues, told reporters Tuesday. "Of course, in its present form, this protocol cannot be ratified," he said after the Russian president spoke to a gathering of Russian and European businessmen.
"It is impossible to undertake responsibilities that place serious limits on the country's growth," the advisor said, insisting that it would be unfair to Russia to curb emissions and stymie its own growth while other nations which account for the bulk of global emissions refuse to join the pact. Russian ratification of the 1997 Kyoto accord is needed to bring it into force worldwide, but since indicating at a world summit last year that it would probably ratify the deal, it has issued mixed signals on the issue. At a conference on climate change in September, Putin said Russia was undecided on signing the protocol and would make its decision in line with its national interests. Illarionov has been one of Russia's most noted opponents of the Kyoto accord which, signed as a "framework" agreement in 1997 and completed in 2001, requires industrialised signatories to trim output of carbon dioxide and five other types of carbon gases, most of which are a byproduct of fossil fuels. With the world's biggest single polluter, the United States, rejecting the accord, the agreement can only take effect under its complex ratification rules after it has been approved by Russia's parliament. Illarionov's comments came as delegates from 180 countries met in Milan, Italy, to explore the future of the accord. The European Commission warned meanwhile Tuesday that the European Union was falling short of its own targets in the accord, and needed to urgently introduce new measures to correct the situation. Some Russian officials have hinted at making ratification conditional on acceptance of its application to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). EU officials have refused linkage between the issues, though some have suggested that the Russian ratification of the accord would open up significant investment opportunities for European companies in Russia. In principle, Russia is one of the major beneficiaries of the Kyoto accord, since the low level of pollution of which its depressed post-Soviet industry is now capable gives it massive scope for trading in emission quotas authorised by the treaty. Greenhouse gases are blamed for global warming by trapping the sun's heat rather than let it radiate safely out into space. Most scientists fear that this could lasting harmful effects on the planet's delicate climate mechanism, though opinions differ on the seriousness of the situation.

[Cbass]

Russia wants to use this as a bargaining chip... Putin isn't stupid, by far, he's the best leader Russia has had since Kruschev, possibly the best ever.

Remember how he was using switching his oil currency as a bargaining chip with the EU? Or how when the US introduced those steel tarriffs, Putin banned US chicken from being imported, at incredibly cost to the US poultry industry. Or how Russia jumped on board of [dramatic music]"The War on Terror!"[/dramatic music] so they could go after the Chechnyans...

[YogsVR4]

I don't disagree with that assessment, but the fact remains Kyoto is a crock and they know it. The EU takes it seriously so they can play with them on it since it matters little to them in either case.

[Cbass]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

I don't disagree with that assessment, but the fact remains Kyoto is a crock and they know it. The EU takes it seriously so they can play with them on it since it matters little to them in either case.

That's not a fact, that's an opinion, and not a very well informed opinion at that.

Global warming is a very real threat. Kyoto is a small step, but you have to start somewhere... With countries like the US and China refusing to cooperate, it makes it a bit harder. Something has to be done though, if the sea level rises, millions of square kilometers of land will be swallowed up by the oceans, and the economic impact will be enormous.

[YogsVR4]

Originally Posted by Cbass

That's not a fact, that's an opinion, and not a very well informed opinion at that.

Global warming is a very real threat. Kyoto is a small step, but you have to start somewhere... With countries like the US and China refusing to cooperate, it makes it a bit harder. Something has to be done though, if the sea level rises, millions of square kilometers of land will be swallowed up by the oceans, and the economic impact will be enormous.

Global warming may be happening. Its a cylcle that the earth has gone through for billions of years. Kyoto is a weak attempt to blame mankind for any change out there.

I'd like to see global warming actually come to fruition up here. Its been colder then usual the last few years and we could use a rise in temperature.

Millions of square kilometers huh - Thats not a fact. It doesn't even rise to the level of opinion.

[taranaki]

Kyoto is a misplaced faith by politicians that they can change the world.In terms of climate change,there is very little that humans can do to prevent it.The fact that the countries that stand to lose the most in the event of a rise in sea levels are not major world powers,and the countries who would have to spend the most in compliance costs would see little or no benefits from the trety mean it will never happen.

We are the mercy of the elements,and always have been.No amount of high-minded theorising and bullying by academics and politicians will ever change that.The temperature of this planet will always be regulated by forces far greater than legislation.