What is the Kyoto Protocol? Discuss the role of the U.S. government, the role of big business in the U.S., and the role of individual citizens in meeting the standards set by the Kyoto Protocol.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The Kyoto Protocol is a treaty that was established in Kyoto, Japan in 1997. About 160 nations agreed to cut back on emissions of the main greenhouse gases to help with the problems associated with worldwide climate change. Even though the U.S. played an important role in leading the negotiations at Kyoto, it has never been ratified by the U.S. government. President Bush claims that it would be detrimental to our economy to do so. Several big businesses in the U.S. have joined with four of the largest environmental groups to call for strong national legislation to ultimately achieve significant reductions of greenhouse gases. These are huge companies that can make a major impact (GE, Alcoa, BP Gas, etc.) if they are successful. On an individual level, there are many things that can be done including: driving less, driving a fuel-efficient vehicle, planting trees, producing less waste (recycle or compost when possible), adjusting thermostats-especially when not at home, insulating your home, purchasing energy-efficient appliances, turning off lights, computers and other energy-consuming items when not in use, etc.