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.
FU EU!!!
EU bribed Russia, and Russia won't obey the rules anyway...
What a victory for the environment.
Numerous countries will not pass enacting legislation,
their excuse will be that the US is not participating.
We would be a fool to sign on, look at them, they can't even enforce resolutions that dealt with Iraq. What is to protect us from these cheats.
"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."
This is why Russia signed up, period: to be able to sell major pollution credits and benefit from protectionist Eurotrash trading agreements.
Of course they will cheat, as will all the rest of the Eurotrash. The entire enterprise is phoney as the "oil-for-food" scam. But it will be used to cut the US out of trading with the "Kyoto nations."
This is designed to accelerate the transfer of America's industrial base to China.
And it will do it.
Let them clean up their own garbage for a change. We've had enough of it!
The best part is when the guy says Germany and France will enforce the treaty.
They can't even enforce the wearing of clean underwear! No wonder it smells so bad over there.....
I wouldn't be too sure about that. The German Spiegel just reported that Kerry promised to sign the Kyoto protocoll if he wins the election. Surely that's a big "if", but still...
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,324615,00.html
The US will be hit with punitive tariffs if we don't sign the treaty. This might result in war.
Keryy can sign anything he wants...
doesn't make it so.
My point is:
numerous (annex one) countries have ratified Kyoto,
but, to my knowledge, none have passed the national
laws needed to make the treaty have (national) effect.
.
also, I think that emmission trading will be a sham.
Do people REALLY think that the EU is going to require
their home corporations to buy emmission credits from
Russia...... C'mon, grow up.
US to EU, Drop dead.
wto
With France and Germany?
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