The Politics of Global Warming

Some days ago, I was looking at the BBC News web page and I read a remarkable article about the politics of climate change. While I read this article I learned a lot of interesting things about the Kyoto Protocol and how it is working in present days. For those who don’t know, the Kyoto Protocol is like a kind of treaty between the countries that are part of the United Nations to decrease the emissions of green house gasses, and by this way improving climate change. In other words,

The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Countries that ratify this protocol
commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse
gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions
of these gases.

The Kyoto Protocol now covers more than 160 countries
globally and over 55% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The major polluters are the following countries (in order):
1.
United States of America
2. European Union
3. China
4. Russia
5. Japan
6. India

The United States is the only country in the globe that has accepted the Kyoto Protocol and then refused it. On March 2006, George W. Bush said that he would not ratify the Kyoto protocol because he thought it would worsen the US economy and because it doesn’t make the developing countries to cut their emissions. The US emits more, by much, green house gasses. It has increased its emission 11% from the 1990’s.

In the other hand, China has decrease its emissions and has improve a lot its economy, so it is not necessary that if a country cuts it emissions it will damage its economy. I think that is what President Bush meant on what he said last March. Although, China is one of the major polluters, it has decreased its emission of carbon dioxide by a 17% from the 1990’s. Even though China is not required to cut its emissions because it is an annex II country, which means that is not a developed country, it has cut its emissions by far.

Russia is a developed country; this means it is part of annex I. Russia’s gas emissions have decrease a 40% from the 1990’s till now. But, this hasn’t been of much help for the country due to that its economy has also fallen dramatically. Even though their economy is very weak, they ratify the Kyoto Protocol because it is a way of earning money. The plan is to use the money for projects of energy efficiency.

Japan, one of the most powerful economies in the world, has also decrease its gas emissions and it needs to because its part of annex I. They feel affection to the protocol; it has the name of one of its cities because the protocol was concluded there. But they say they will not ratify the protocol until the Americans do. Until the Japanese accept the treaty, the Kyoto Protocol will not have the support needed to be an international law.

As well, India, a developing country, has increased its emissions more than 52% from the 1990’s. In my opinion, at this rate it will be vulnerable to be a major polluter in a future. Maybe that is why President Bush doesn’t agree that all developing countries aren’t obliged to cut their emissions.

I think that in part, the Kyoto protocol has been of much help to the world on improving the green house effect. I think that if the United States accepts the protocol and Japan follows up it would be better because it will have the support needed. Imagine if the Kyoto Protocol wouldn’t ever be done what would be of this world? Any of those countries would have decreased their emissions.

For More information visit BBC News -Climate Change.