The Kyoto Treaty Essay, Research Paper

Should the US ratify the Kyoto treaty?

Implementation of the Kyoto Global Warming Treaty, which requires all industrial nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels, is a critical first step in stopping global warming.

The Kyoto Treaty is one of first needed steps to saving the planet from total devastation. Should the United States ratify the Kyoto treaty? Does the question even need to be asked? The United States is one of the number one pollutants of the environment. If we don?t sign the treaty then what good would it do the rest of the world. We need to step up and take responsibility for our actions and reduce our output of pollutants to the 1990 standards. This should only be the beginning of steps, we should continue to reduce our emissions by at least 5% each year. Research should be started to find ways to reduce pollution and save our planet.

The United States is a leader in this world and if we signed the treaty then others would follow suit. We have seen is happen before. We have started many things and others have followed. We have invented cars, electricity, industry, cotton gins, Internet, computers. Now look at the rest of the world they have these same things because we thought of them first. If we were to sign the treaty countries would be lined up to sign it too. We need to think of future generations and not only of our selves. What about our grandchildren?s grandchildren, don?t we want then to have a world to live in? We must do something to stop this destruction. If we don?t then our children will be hurt and so will we.

Skin cancer has risen tremendously in the last 20 years and it is because of the pollution in the air that is destroying the O-zone layer. We are killing our selves and for what benefit? Is it so we can have faster cars, larger factories, bigger computers, or is it for bigger homes and offices? How much worse would life be if we reduced pollution to the levels in 1990? We lived it once; we should be able to do it again.

Staggering Findings. The treaty would require U.S. emissions of seven percent below 1990 levels by 2012. WEFA projects that, under current trends, U.S. carbon emissions will exceed that goal by 37 percent. To meet the Kyoto mandate, WEFA projects compliance costs would hit home by:

* Raising the cost of every gallon of gas by 64 cents;

* Doubling the price of industrial gas and electricity;

* Reducing household income by $2,728;

* Throwing 2.5 million people out of work

Raising the cost of gas is going to happen regardless of the treaty ratification.

The price of doubling the cost of industrial gas and electricity is a small price to pay for clean air, water, and life.

Household income would drop by $2,728, most people wouldn?t even notice the drop.

2.5 million people would be out of work. They could find new jobs reducing pollution, like building electric cars, or research for cleaner industries. The job opportunities would be endless.

We need this treaty to survive, live and prosper in the future. There are no excuses for not signing this treaty.