PARIS, Jan. 31 — President Jacques Chirac has demanded that the United States sign both the Kyoto climate protocol and a future agreement that will take effect when the Kyoto accord runs out in 2012.
He said that he welcomed last week’s State of the Union address in which President Bush described climate change as a “serious challenge” and acknowledged that a growing number of American politicians now favor emissions cuts.
But he warned that if the United States did not sign the agreements, a carbon tax across Europe on imports from nations that have not signed the Kyoto treaty could be imposed to try to force compliance. The European Union is the largest export market for American goods.
How about we charge Chirac a silly tax?
One has to ask if his threats apply to Canada, as well? Read this article.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper once called the Kyoto accord a "socialist scheme" designed to suck money out of rich countries, according to a letter leaked Tuesday by the Liberals.
I couldn't have said it better, myself.
It absolutely amazes me that the world is falling for this madness, (hook, line, and sinker) while the threat of radiation filling the planet's air, exists. Put that with the utterly absurd notion that the U.S. is the only one that messes up the air, and you have the makings of some serious misunderstanding here.
Does anyone think China will sign Kyoto? If you do, I still have that ocean-front beach house in Salina Kansas, on the market.
11 comments:
Sure, China will never sign that! They need coal ( and petrol) for their economic growth. That's why China is in Africa, human rights ? ( Darfur etc ..) they don't care. Now, would be better for Chirac to shut his mouth. Nuclear tests in the pacific was not a good example. About agriculture, it is only 3.5 per cent of working people. And the growth of bio-energy is very high.
I may be wrong, but I thought China did sign Kyoto, since they were immune from it's rollbacks and caps (like India and other 'developing' nations).
Kyoto is a brilliant scheme for taking the world towards socialism. Was watching a story about Cambodia under Pol Pot this evening and they talked of killing or torturing people for the crime of "individualism". How long before Americans are taxed or fined for driving solo, barbecuing, or anything else somebody deems to be 'individualism'? Sounds far fetched yes, but when everything is rooted in the idea of saving the planet, nothing will be impossible.
Every day Chirac discredits himself a bit more. He is and always has been a visceral anti-american in the best of the Gaulist spirit. I don't think his behavior is undecipherable in diplomatic circles. In other words talk is cheap. Unfortuantely I remember him making anti - American comments in the late 70's and all through the 80's and 90's. The question is... who is really listening?
Hi JPH,
//And the growth of bio-energy is very high.//
The one thing about bio-energy that many proponents need to consider is, the supply. With bio-sources so much depends on too many variables.
Example: Ethanol. Bad drought, low corn crop yield, energy supply down. Prices up. In my view, to rely on just this alone makes for a lot volatility in the market.
AC,
//I may be wrong, but I thought China did sign Kyoto, since they were immune from it's rollbacks and caps (like India and other 'developing' nations).//
I do not think they have, but I could be wrong. The bigger question is, will they comply? With this immunity they proclaim, they are not likely to.
Rocket,
//Every day Chirac discredits himself a bit more.//
His legacy must be in serious need of repair with the French people. He is going to pull out all of the heavy anti-American proposals to appease the anti-American sentimentalists (on his way out), much like Schroeder did.
unfortunately I think we've got a Hugo Chavez Francais. Ugh!
From this source:
China, which in three years will likely become the world's biggest emitter of CO2, is determined not to be a leader in dealing with global environmental issues. "The ball is not in China's court," said Zhu Min, the executive vice president of the Bank of China and a former senior official in the government. "The ball is in everybody's court." India's brilliant planning czar, Montek Singh Alluwalliah, said that "every country should have the same per capita rights to pollution." In the abstract that's logical enough, but in the real world, if 2.3 billion people (the population of China plus India) pollute at average Western levels, you will have a global meltdown.
Hardly a right-wing publication!
LAS et al, didn't you get the memo? Global warming is America's fault.
The funniest part about Kyoto is what hypocrites the signatory countries are. They aren't reducing their emissions. http://tinyurl.com/3xjjgf
Some of them have emissions growth rates higher than the US.
Isn't it obvious that signing pieces of paper doesn't mean results?
Eg: http://tinyurl.com/sndy3
The best way to reduce emissions is through the free market. Alternative energy sources are not going to succeed unless someone can make money selling them. On the other hand, if you tell industry they must cut emissions tomorrow, they are likely to simply pack up and move somewhere, like Africa, with less regualtion. Essentially, Kyoto could result in pollution moving from the 1st world to the 3rd world.
Anyway, it's always funny to hear French leaders single out the US for criticism. A couple of weeks ago Chirac blamed violence in the middle east on America. Segolene agrees. Meanwhile, their foreign minister marvels at the "stablizing force" of Iran, and the "legitimate political force" that is Hezbollah. The US is everyone's whipping boy, but especially for France. Our "ally". Then they wonder why they have such a bad image in the US....
OH, I forgot my favorite example of French politicians' hypocrisy: falling all over themselves to decry the "modern day gulag" of GITMO, while conveniently ignoring the real gulags on the same island run by their beloved socialist friend, and avid torturer, Fidel Castro.
You have to read the French newspapers on a daily basis. It's great comedy.
While I have a chance to bash Chirac, for those who understand French, you can watch him, when he didn't think anyone could hear, telling Zapatero (aka Europe's bravest man) that things should be okay in Lebanon for the next few months, b/c Hezbollah has been slightly diminished, but that problems may occur in Feb/March 07. "Everything will depend upon our negotiations with Iran." Tres revelateur.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lBxD8PYa3o
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