Send URL
Fill in the form below and click on the "send" button. Our server will send an e-mail message to the recipient that includes the URL of the story you want to share.
You can send to multiple e-mail addresses by separating them with COMMAs: a.name@aserver.com, another.name@anotherserver.com
Greenpeace activists in 19 countries demonstrated in 2003 in front of Russian Embassies urging President Putin to sign the Kyoto Protocol.
Enlarge ImageWhatever Putin's motives, the fact that he and the Russian government have taken this first step is undoubtably good news for anyone worried about climate change - and a slap in the face for George Bush and oil companies like ExxonMobil. The Kyoto ratification comes as a breath of fresh (and unpolluted) air at a time when news headlines are dominated by oil dependency and extreme weather horror stories.
"As the Earth is battered by increasing storms, floods and droughts, President Putin has brought us to a pivotal point in human history today," said Greenpeace International Climate Campaigner, Steve Sawyer.
The final decision about whether or not Russia will ratify Kyoto now rests with the Russian Parliament, the Duma. If it votes in favour, the Kyoto Protocol will enter into force and will become international law, a decision likely to happen within a few weeks. The Protocol must be ratified by no less than 55 countries accounting for at least 55 percent of global emissions in 1990, so Russia could finally tip the scale.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch
But George W. Bush insists on raining on the parade. The US emits one fifth of the world's greenhouse gases, so unless the US ratifies or at the very least changes its domestic policies - a scenario distinctly unlikely under Bush - Kyoto will not fully achieve its targets. "Kyoto is 'an unrealistic and ever-tightening regulatory straitjacket, curtailing energy consumption'," said the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Global Affairs, in the Financial Times.
The United States and several other large industrial countries such as China and Australia have not yet ratified the treaty, but they are definitely out in the cold on this one - as of July 29th 2004, 124 countries had ratified.
What now?
The Kyoto Protocol is an important first step in tackling climate change - but there is still a long way to go. "To tackle climate change we must stop relying on oil, coal and gas to meet our energy needs and urgently redirect our investment into safer, cleaner sources of energy such as wind, wave and solar power," said Steve Sawyer.
More information
Find out more about the impacts of climate change
More about the Kyoto Protocol
Take action
Reduce your environmental impact
Join our campaign against the worst climate criminal - Stop Esso
Want to get involved? Sign up to know what you can do. |
