Why is the U.S. opposed to Kyoto?
The U.S. has opposed or opted out of many multicultural security initiatives in recent years. The convention on land mines and the international war crimes tribunal are prominent examples. With Kyoto in particular, the current U.S. administration has expressed fears similar to those of Alberta: that reducing the burning of fossil fuels will reduce the incomes of oil and coal companies. In its energy plan, the Bush administration continues to rely on fossil fuels. It is not seriously challenging the status quo despite the costs of climate change and air pollution. The Bush administration has adopted a weak plan to encourage industries to reduce emissions, assuming an 18 per cent increase in emissions by 2012. The good news in the U.S. is that many states are taking steps to cut emissions, including California, New York, Michigan and Massachusetts. Read a releated report from the Pembina Institute called How Ratifying the Kyoto Protocol will Benefit Canada’s Competitiveness. The situatio
Related Questions
- Was it "off limits" to talk about policy impacts (for example, potential impacts of Kyoto on the energy sector) at the regional workshops?
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