Gorbachev backs Kyoto treaty

[Judi Lynn]

Gorbachev backs Kyoto treaty
Jul 21 2006
icWales

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev today urged the US and Australia to sign the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, saying the world's "reservoir of life" was rapidly shrinking.

Australia and the US are the only major industrialised countries that have not signed the Kyoto treaty, which mandates specific cutbacks in emissions of carbon dioxide and five other gases by 2012 in 35 countries.

"Our reservoir of life is shrinking," Gorbachev said from the eastern Australian city of Brisbane, where he is heading an international environmental conference. "Before it is too late I think we need to put our environmental house in order."

Gorbachev said the US had behaved like a "stubborn animal" over the Kyoto agreement, and urged Australia to show leadership by joining the pact.
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