2004-10-01

Russia approves Kyoto, U.S. alone

The Russian government approved the Kyoto Protocol Thursday, giving decisive support to the long-delayed climate change treaty that should allow it to come into force worldwide.

The controversial pact will now be passed to the Kremlin-dominated parliament for ratification.

President Vladimir Putin's government acted despite worries by many officials who say the 1997 U.N. pact, which orders cuts in greenhouse gas emissions to slow global warming, would harm the economy and not protect the environment.

The European Union hailed Moscow's decision and seized the moment to urge Washington, whose rejection of the pact in 2001 left it dependent on Russia's approval, to rethink its position.

"The fate of the Kyoto protocol depends on Russia. If we... rejected ratification, we would become the ones to blame (for its failure)," Deputy Foreign Minister Yuri Fedotov told the cabinet meeting.

Russia, which accounts for 17 percent of world emissions, has held the key to Kyoto's success or failure since the United States pulled out.

The pact becomes binding once it has been ratified by 55 percent of the signatories which must, among them, account for 55 percent of developed countries' carbon dioxide emissions.

Kyoto has surpassed the first requirement as 122 nations have ratified it. But without Russia they account for only 44 percent of total emissions."

I wonder, will the U.S. reconsider? I'd guess that the "leader of the free world" will, yet again, stand aside from world opinion. We don't need no stinkin climate control. Kind of ironic that just last night, during the first presidental debate, Putin was discussed. Particularly, the candidates were concerned about recent actions that take Russia further away from democracy. Well, that my be true, but at least he's not going to stand in the way of world opinion regarding climate control. Yeah, I just love the way we lead the world.