WP: Russian Cabinet Backs Pact on Climate Change

[kskiska]

Move Opens Way for Kyoto Protocol

Friday, October 1, 2004; Page A01

MOSCOW, Sept. 30 -- After years of debate among political and economic leaders here, the Russian cabinet on Thursday endorsed the 1997 Kyoto accord on global climate change. The move opens the way for likely ratification by parliament and implementation of the U.N. pact in the more than 120 countries that have embraced it.

Environmentalists around the world praised the cabinet's decision, which put the pact on a course out of a long legal limbo worldwide. The pact can take effect only if ratified by countries that together emit 55 percent or more of the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that many scientists say are driving up global temperatures; Russian participation would push the count over that mark.

The Bush administration announced three years ago that it would not join in the accord, arguing it would be costly, slow economic growth and do little to protect the environment. With Russian participation all but certain, the treaty now appears set to proceed, which could bring new political pressure on the United States to join.

Environmental groups were almost universally ebullient at the news from Moscow. Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense, said it should bring "a moment of celebration and another decade of hard work. . . . In virtually every industrialized country, there will be a carbon limit. It's a historic step in an effort to secure our future."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63404-2004Sep30.html

[Combat Honey]

1. It truly is a historic step, but...

...I would be even happier if the United States would have joined also. I'm afraid that the costs for all the nations will be lot bigger if we can't slow down the climate change. But anyways, for me and many others in Finland (next to Russia) this is great news.

Funny to think also, that not so long ago, less than 100 years ago, Finland was part of Russia (autonomic, though) and then fought the Russia for it's independence during World War II, and now we're working together to try to secure the future of the world. Not to mention the work on the protection of The Baltic Sea, which is very much eutrophicated at the moment.

Combat Honey