Globally important environmental news:
President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill confirming Russia's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, the Kremlin said Friday, clearing the way for the global climate pact to come into force early next year.
Now, will we see a kinder, gentler approach to climate change from the 2nd Bush Administration? I'm not overly optimistic.
At a recent lecture at the University of Michigan, the distinguished Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, who chaired the 1980s-era UN Commission that coined the phrase "sustainable development," fretted about the US role on this issue:
"There is no true alternative to multilateralism in facing up to our responsibility for future generations and the planet itself. We don’t have much time. A number of developing countries have increasing and rapidly growing emissions. Developing countries may soon represent a bigger part of the total than the industrialized world. The future is one of including all countries in our global solutions, but before that can happen, the rich countries must rise to the occasion, show leadership, and take responsibility."
Her whole speech is well worth reading if you have the time:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/snre-wege-lecture-2004/wege_lecture_transcript_10-29-04
If Bush won't do it, then the Governors of Michigan, Minnesota and other Great Lakes states have the responsibility to show some leadership on this issue -- which could dramatically upset the Lakes if not addressed.
Posted by Dave at November 5, 2004 11:39 AM