Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
World Policy Actions
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Introduction
All the nations of the world share one atmosphere. What
goes into it affects all, and the consequences of climate
change will fall on all. Depending on your perspective and
your experience with international agreements, you can
be either impressed or disillusioned about the inter-
national response to the need to mitigate global warming.
It was only in
at the Rio Earth Summit that the
nations of the world agreed there was a problem. After
that, with remarkable speed, the Kyoto Protocol was
produced in
, and entered into force in
when
industrialized nations accounting for at least
%of
emission signed on.
A mere
years from recognition to action is regarded
as fast by those with experience with the UN organiza-
tion, or slow by those focused on the urgency of the
problem. However you regard it, Kyoto is the basis for
action now, but it expires in
and has to be replaced
with a new and necessarily better Protocol that brings in
all the nations that were left out of the action agenda
last time.
The United States played an important
role in
designing the Kyoto Protocol, but never rati
ed it. Cap
and Trade is an example of a US proposal that was viewed
with suspicion at
the beginning of negotiations, but
