As climate change hits, who benefits from Kyoto?

Question

- The U.N.'s IPCC organization focuses on CO2 and otehr greenhouse gases, to the exclusion of substantial contributions such as black carbon soot.

- The contribution of population growth to our global human carbon footprint isn't even discussed.

- Even on the myopic topic of CO2 we fail to discuss that Kyoto and similar proposals clearly enable (almost guarantee) a continued rise in global CO2 emissions.

Will the simplistic claim that developing nations can't afford a carbon tax be revealed as foolish as the ultra rich in Hong Kong have their real estate flooded, and the residents of Bangladesh are killed by the hundreds of thousands in storm surges as sea levels rise?

If the understanding of global warming is as solid as it is claimed to be, developing nations can't afford not to participate, yet here we are with Kyoto, and a follow-on proposal in the works to carry us to 2050.

Since Kyoto is designed to fail at global CO2 reduction, what was Kyoto actually designed for?

Answer 1

That's a mighty loaded question, my friend.

Kyoto was probably just designed to inspire nations to reduce CO2 gases. Due to the publicity that this cause is getting and the increasing unpopularity of oil (that is growing bitterly in the minds of consumers), I wouldn't be surprised if we did see a reduction of human-produced CO2 emissions.

Any organization that's set up to do something is prone to failure. That's not a surprise for any of us. I do believe that they mean well, and just as a means of reducing air pollution, I would love to see human-produced CO2 emissions reduced greatly in the near future.

Answer 2

Kyoto is seriously flawed, which is why the US and Canada did not sign on.  Paying India and China money to continue polluting is not in our best interest.  However, the EU did sign on and have to date given China sixty billion dollars because of Kyoto.  All for absolutely nothing.

Answer 3

The jet-setting politicians do, of course!

Answer 4

Kyoto is and was fatily flawed. It left out over 50% of the world's population and permitted them to continue building "dirty" power plants because they were "developing" (as you posted).

Second it placed the entire burden of compliance on the countries that are the DRIVERS of the world economy. As we have seen virtually NONE of the countries that signed the treaty actually were able to comply with it's mandate---  Kyoto IS a HUGE FAILURE!--- in principle and in results.

Answer 5

Kyoto was designed so Canada would have a moral responsibility to pay Russia obsene amounts of money for carbon credits. It is essentially useless since only countries that can meet it sign on to it (except for Canada)

Answer 6

Russia

Answer 7

Russia benifits from it.  They don't have any targets to meet but can sell carbon credits.

Answer 8

I hope we all do, but at the same time, I worry about what some countries may try to do to take advantage of Kyoto.

It's definitely not the cure-all solution to our problems, but at least the world for the most part is pulling together to solve a problem shared by all, and for that, I'm optimistic about.  Just not convinced this plan by itself is the right one.

Answer 9

My best guess is the solar. My home uses about 30 KWH/day. A solar system big enough to pay for my electric bill employing net metering would cost about $37,000. This would be about a 15 year pay back. As systems become more efficient the costs should come down. As carbon caps become the norm they will eventually be applied to cars and homes and businesses.  Factories will gear up for the global demand and solar equipment will become mass produced. When solar systems down to a 6 year pay back It will be just smart to install solar. I think there will be a solar revolation.  Kyote and mainly the price of fossile fuels will just make renewable forms of energy the right choice.

Answer 10

how environmentally sound is it to encourage china (through Kyoto) to scavenge resources in the U.S. (scrap steel?) putting it on trains, then a slow boat to china, just so it can be sent back as dollar store spatula's?,......(basicly kyoto treats china as a developing country) .but hey, nobody wants to answer the tough questions!

Answer 11

Kyoto is flawed, as you say.  But, once the US starts to fully participate, we can get a sensible treaty.

It's unfortunate that the Senate has reinforced our image as not interested seriously.  But we can fix that next year.

Answer 12

Al Gore he own a carbon credit trading company .