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Earth

Kyoto Protocol Renewal Efforts Struggling 393

Hugh Pickens writes "Economics trumps the environment. The emission targets set by the Kyoto Protocol will expire next year, and negotiators are fighting to keep UN climate talks on track while efforts to save the Euro push the struggle to save the planet down the priority list. In the United States, seen as the biggest single obstacle to a new global climate deal, academic opinion says an 'iron law' means economics trumps the environment in times of crisis. Meanwhile, some leading voices on climate science have suggested the Kyoto Protocol be put to pasture, since clinging to hopes of a renewal of that agreement does more harm than good in achieving meaningful dialogue on how to fight climate change. When the agreement was negotiated in the 1990s, the world was more clearly divided into 'rich and poor' countries. However, China and India have seen unexpectedly strong economic growth since then, and currently make up 58 per cent of global emissions. 'Against this backdrop, it is no surprise that countries such as Japan, Canada and Russia adamantly refuse to assume new binding targets unless the other major economies at present outside Kyoto's reach — most notably, the United States and China — do so as well,' writes Elliot Diringer, executive vice-president of the U.S.-based Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. 'And for now, the odds of that happening are nil.'"

Comment God Bless what? (Score 1) 3

After 10 years it's fairly evident that He isn't listening to the songs and slogans.
That kind of love it or leave it patriotism leads to nationalism that leads to doing horrible things to people that don't look like you, "In the name of God"
It's a good thing that religion has done a good job obfuscating that name, otherwise He might get embarrassed and do something about it.

Comment not quite prophetic but... (Score 1) 4

Also, we as a country have declared "war on terrorism". I just hope it's not like the "war on drugs"; sometimes metaphor substitutes for reality in Washington's twisted world, It's a little more insidious than that. We now have the cult of the Hero.
After 10 years the wrong country got de-stabilized and cost us a crap load to build back up. Another war was practically ignored to fight it.
The bogeyman Bin Laden was protected by our Allies.
The economy was trashed, our status as a manufacturer has dwindled.
erosion of civil liberties in the name of freedom.
Not quite like the war on drugs but maybe a bit more harmful.

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