Australia to Ratify Kyoto, America Stands Alone
Prime Minister John Howard of Australia has gone down to electoral defeat [ark], and his successor Kevin Rudd [search] has committed to ratifying Kyoto during the campaign. Further, answering my own earlier question, Rudd is moving forward with Kyoto ratification already [ark]! This is great news for the Kyoto process [ark] as only the United States continues to stand alone, guilty and ashamed. The importance of getting Kyoto [search] fully ratified lies not in its rather meager goals, but rather in legitimizing the structures it has established in order to allow for their tightening to include all nations embracing mandatory emissions reductions based upon their historical, current and trending contribution to the problem. The change from Howard to Rudd, and the politics of climate policy in Australia, make for a good read [ark]. Rudd's impending ratification announcement at Bali will certainly bolster momentum for a successor deal to Kyoto. Maybe one of a magnitude to actually solve the problem. There is also perhaps an opportunity to revist the horrendous Tasmania pulp mill [search] approval given by the previous government.
Comments
According to this site, Rudd could sign Kyoto before the end of the month!
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2203498/australia-ratify-kyoto-within
Posted by: Jim Crabtree | November 24, 2007 6:26 PM
Dear Friends,
Evidently, climate change could produce catastrophic effects.
The denial of the reality of climate change by too many politicians and economic powerbrokers appears NOT to serve the best interests of human wellbeing, environment health, biodiversity protection or Earth's preservation.
Perhaps a perspective from one of my colleagues in psychology is helpful in getting the family of humanity to focus on the looming threat posed by human-forced, pernicious climate change.
http://www.energybulletin.net/37091.html
Always,
Steve
Posted by: Steven Earl Salmony | November 25, 2007 10:19 AM
Unfortunately Glen, Bush has another groupie that's doing everything possible to gut Kyoto and prevent any progress. Prime Minister Harper of Canada is the new John Howard.
He has repeatedly said Canada won't meet its Kyoto commitment. He has done next to nothing since becoming Prime Minister to reduce Canada's emissions.
He's from Alberta and is very pro Oil industry.
There is some hope. His government is a minority government and can be overthrown. But the opposition so far hasn't had the nerve.
Posted by: PeterW | November 25, 2007 6:53 PM
Yes indeed, Harper is a snake as well. He just scuttled binding emissions targets at the Commonwealth meeting. He is weak though as you note, and eventually he will go down, hopefully soon. As everywhere, climate is emerging as a more high profile political issue in Canada as well. John Howard and George Bush have been the two primary culprits in scuttling international cooperative measures for a decade now and one is gone, and the other will be shortly ;-) This is good news. Now it is a question if the global community of politicians have the balls and brains to do what must be done to immediately start reducting emissions. Glen
Posted by: Dr. Glen Barry
|
November 25, 2007 7:48 PM
In Canada activists are trying to expose Harper as a climate criminal. His new greenwash (against binding targets) fools some but not all. The problem we have here is that the Liberal Party is weak right now. Many Canadians are far, far too cautious and polite and let thugs like Harper get away with too much. They watch too much tv and buy into the American dream. We hope to change this. There is a rally on Dec. 8 in Toronto and Ottawa. See http://www.torontoclimatecampaign.org/
Posted by: Paul York | November 25, 2007 8:13 PM
Harper is just a stupid mini-nazi that cannot think for himself, Harper is a braindead puppet for Bush.
Posted by: Jenny | November 26, 2007 11:19 AM