The World’s Reaction to the Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol

The World’s Reaction to the Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol

In this day and age, it has become very easy to take advantage of the seemingly never ending natural resources, and current amenities which our society and scientific endeavors have made possible. However, what many fail to realize, is that on a daily basis, our luxuries are emitting Greenhouse gases into the world, and using up precious resources. While the exact date of when these will truly cause drastic results in our world in unknown, nations are finally starting to realize that actions need to be taken, in order to protect as much as we can. A good start to this was the creation of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, which calls for nations to have a 5% cut in Greenhouse gas emissions between 2008 and 2012, from their levels in 1990. Just last week, on February 16, 2005, this Protocol went into affect. Like most political agreements, however, there has been much praise and criticism for this act. Originally, 84 countries signed the Protocol, indicating that they would later ratify the Protocol. However, not all of the countries have actually signed it. This is due to the details of the actual Protocol, being different than what the countries previously expected them to be. Many countries who have stated their lack of commitment to the Protocol, including the United States, have come under much criticism world wide.

There are several reasons why countries have decided not to comply with the Kyoto Protocol. Among the biggest conflicts is the eminent economic affect it will have on large, industrial nations, such as the United States. According to the online Harvard Magazine, “Harvard scientists and economists who study climate change express...

... middle of paper ...

...ds to put some serious energy into reconstructing how we go about the usage of our energy and how to minimize gas emissions. While the time limit of the Kyoto Protocol is unrealistic for the United States, immediate changes do need to be made. Actions such as encouraging the use of hybrid cars, or increasing tax incentives to businesses and home that are more environmentally friendly would be a great place to start. We share the world with many; no matter how we choose to go about it, we all need to do our part to conserve the Earth.

Works Cited

“Bush Statements and Reactions.” ECEEE. .

Landler, Mark. “Kyoto Treaty on Greenhouse Gases takes Affect.” New York Times. 16

February 2005. .

“Problems with the Protocol.” The Harvard Magazine. .

UNFCC. .