US reaffirms opposition to emissions caps

US reaffirms opposition to emissions caps

NAIROBI – As delegates from more than 100 nations gathered for talks on the world’s changing climate, many were looking for signs the United States might ease its stand against mandatory reductions on global-warming emissions.

On Monday, they got their answer – it won’t happen any time soon. “I certainly got no indication that there’s any change in our position, nor is there likely to be during this presidency,” said US negotiator Harlan Watson on the first day of the UN climate conference.The two-week conference opened on the eve of a US election that could hand congressional power to Democrats who favour the caps.But any new bills would still face a veto by President George W Bush, who says the requirements would hamstring US economic growth.Scientists attribute the past century’s 0,6-degree-Celsius rise in average global temperatures at least in part to the accumulation of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – by-products of power plants, automobiles and other fossil fuel-burning sources.Watson said the US, voluntarily, is doing better at restraining the growth of such gases than are some countries committed to reductions under the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.”With few exceptions you’re seeing those emissions rise again,” Watson said of countries bound by Kyoto.Manik Roy, who monitors Congress for the Pew Centre on Global Climate Change, a Washington research group, said the world “shouldn’t just give up on the United States until 2008,” when Bush’s term is over.”There is a huge amount of change going on in Congress at this time” on climate issues, he said.The Kyoto Protocol, a 1997 annex to the UN climate treaty, requires 35 industrialised nations to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by an average 5 per cent from 1990 levels by 2012.At the Nairobi conference, the 165 nations that have ratified Kyoto are talking about what regime of quotas and timetables should succeed that agreement.Meanwhile, all climate treaty nations – including the United States – are more broadly discussing ways to confront global warming.Nampa-AP”I certainly got no indication that there’s any change in our position, nor is there likely to be during this presidency,” said US negotiator Harlan Watson on the first day of the UN climate conference.The two-week conference opened on the eve of a US election that could hand congressional power to Democrats who favour the caps.But any new bills would still face a veto by President George W Bush, who says the requirements would hamstring US economic growth.Scientists attribute the past century’s 0,6-degree-Celsius rise in average global temperatures at least in part to the accumulation of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere – by-products of power plants, automobiles and other fossil fuel-burning sources.Watson said the US, voluntarily, is doing better at restraining the growth of such gases than are some countries committed to reductions under the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.”With few exceptions you’re seeing those emissions rise again,” Watson said of countries bound by Kyoto.Manik Roy, who monitors Congress for the Pew Centre on Global Climate Change, a Washington research group, said the world “shouldn’t just give up on the United States until 2008,” when Bush’s term is over.”There is a huge amount of change going on in Congress at this time” on climate issues, he said.The Kyoto Protocol, a 1997 annex to the UN climate treaty, requires 35 industrialised nations to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by an average 5 per cent from 1990 levels by 2012.At the Nairobi conference, the 165 nations that have ratified Kyoto are talking about what regime of quotas and timetables should succeed that agreement.Meanwhile, all climate treaty nations – including the United States – are more broadly discussing ways to confront global warming.Nampa-AP

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