07-06-2006, 12:46 PM
Quote:I think it was because it would have driven our country into a huge recession or depression which would have taken a decade to recover from. Sometimes environmental zealots don't care what effects their environmental protections have on other systems, Kyoto was one of those. It was a good treaty for the environment, and a bad treaty for the world. If you are fighting a civil war or watching your family starve you aren't caring much about your co2 emissions.
It's not like we are not passing stricter environmental legislation. Coupled with rippple effects of higher gas prices, the US will likely meet the 2012 Kyoto goals. Still, India and China are becoming the economic engines of the world as well -- they need to be involved in protecting the planet or Kyoto will a pile of dog excrement.
There are many things that can cause a huge recession in the US, and because of that also in the world. One of them is the oilprice.
I think that by implementing the Kyoto treaty combined with an effort to get less dependent on fossil fuels would at least give you a great control on how things go.
I think it is not 'the economy' because of which congres voted against, but direct financial losses by big companies.
For e.g. an oil company on long term, it is also better to start working with alternative energy sources. However on shortterm it is a lot easier to sell oil. Companies think short term (because shareholders can move out any time they want)....better make money now.....in 20 years we can leave the company bankrupt, and we are ready to invest in something else.
Especially when there is a huge economic crisis it is handy to be not too dependent on other countries for energy.