Posted on 10/22/2004 9:26:17 PM PDT by watchout
EU presses US to follow suit, after Russia ratifies Kyoto
BRUSSELS : The European Union executive welcomed the Russian parliament's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on global climate change -- and immediately called on the United States to follow suit.
Brandishing a bottle of champagne, EU environment chief Margot Wallstroem trumpeted Europe's leading role in backing Kyoto, while outgoing European Commission chief Romano Prodi said the news was good for generations to come.
"No news could be more welcome in my last few days in Brussels," said Prodi, who is due to leave office next week at the end of his five-year term. "We are happy that the Russian Duma has decided to ratify.
"We hope that the United States will now re-consider its position," he added.
The comments came after the Russian Duma approved the pact by a vote of 334 to 73, with two abstentions, paving the way for endorsement by the upper chamber and signature by President Vladimir Putin.
But Washington's refusal to back it has raised the biggest question mark over the 1997 Kyoto pact. US President George W. Bush ditched the agreement shortly after coming to office in 2001.
Wallstroem, who noted that Europe had "led the way" in facing up to the challenge of climate change, said it was unclear whether next month's US presidential election will change anything soon.
"I am not sure what a victory for (US Democratic challenger John) Kerry to climate change policy would mean," she told reporters.
But she agreed that Moscow's move boosts the pressure on Washington. "I think it creates more of a pressure ... you cannot ignore the more than 126 (nations) that have ratified" Kyoto, she said.
Since Bush ditched the protocol, Russian support has been essential for Kyoto to take effect as an internationally binding treaty.
The EU environment commissioner underlined that Kyoto's entry into force will accelerate the emerging global market in greenhouse gas emissions, of which Russia could be a key beneficiary.
Russia's greenhouse gas emissions are currently some 30 percent below 1990 levels. Kyoto requires that Russia not exceed the 1990 levels during 2008-2012, she noted.
"This means that, once international emissions trading starts, Russia will have a significant surplus of emission quotas that it can sell to other countries that have ratified the protocol," Wallstroem said.
Prodi underlined that the Russian ratification was only a "first step."
"It needs to be followed by others. We must not let up on this issue but keep pushing it with all our force," he said.
"We are seeing an example of serious commitment that we share. I hope that example will be followed by those who have not yet signed the Kyoto Protocol, starting with the United States."
For Wallstroem, Moscow's move caps her five years in charge of the EU environment brief, which she will trade in for a new job as communications chief in a new commission scheduled to take office on November 1.
"We are now happy to have Russia on board and we can now put words into deeds," she said, calling for champagne glasses at a hastily arranged Brussels press conference.
US to EU: "Go Pound Sand!"
Who cares what the EU wants or what Russia did...it means nothing to us.
China did sign the protocol, as a developing country it is not yet required to begin reducing emissions.
Now we can sit back and watch as the EU and Russia's economies either 1)get crushed under the fiscal weight of Kyoto, or 2) find out that none of the private companies in either country follow the accords anyway (which they do now with any other regulation).
First time Kerry opens his yap, remind him in no uncertain terms he voted against this treaty.
N.G.O of the United Nations Global Compact backdoor to America. why don;t you check the list .United Nations Global Compact it will wake you up
We know why they want this because these countries can't compete with us on a level playing field so they are trying to tip it their direction. This has nothing to do with global warming at all it is just a ploy to put our economy in a bind.
As per the Kyoto Accords which adversely affect only us, we've given it much thought. Our summary conclusion is this: It's okay with us once we get confirmation of snowballs in Hell.
Sincerely,
Joe American
"When we want lessons on how to be a Second-World has-been, we'll ask."
What do we make in America now?
See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1244057/posts for some details.
Naturally, EU figures it should bug us and give China a pass, even though China's fouling the air far worse than us.
The E.U. can go suck eggs.
Ewwwwww. Must go scrub my eyeballs to get THAT image out of my mind...
Kyoto is nothing but a socialist ploy to undermine America. Screw'em
After all their support in Iraq, I'm sure President Bush can't wait to follow the weasels into economic suicide.
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