International agreement: Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol was created in Kyoto, Japan on 11 December 1997 and approved on 16 February 2005 in response to the increasingly alarming rate of global warming. Climate change has always been present even before the Anthropocene era, but has only been more drastic in the recent decades. If the rate of global warming is left unchecked, there will likely be more extreme natural events such as drought, floods, heatwaves, and many more harmful weather. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) stated in the fourth assessment that “it is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-twentieth century.” (IPCC, 2014) In order to avoid …show more content…
For poor and developing countries, the lack of emission restraints is justified. A strong economy must exist before a nation can proceed to adopt environmental policies. For developed countries, whether the state reduces emissions or not is under the control of political leaders. The EU promised reduced emissions for both the first and the second commitment periods. Other nations such as Canada and United States are more focused in the economy rather than the emission reductions. Skepticism is another factor to Kyoto Protocol’s failure. A study ADDIN EN.CITE Brenton201320(Brenton, 2013)202017Brenton, AnthonyWolfson College, Barton Road, Cambridge, CB3 9BB, United KingdomClimate PolicyClimate Policy541-546135climate changeemission controlenvironmental policyenvironmental politicsinternational organizationKyoto Protocolnineteenth centuryOECDpolitical processUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate ChangeWorld Trade Organization20134 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4RN, United KingdomTaylor and Francis Ltd.14693062http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2013.77463210.1080/14693062.2013.774632(Brenton, 2013) states that the US is more dependent on cheap energy, more skeptical about the science behind climate change, and less willing to submit to international economic regulation. The power of media and the conservative beliefs of the nation is likely the source of the skepticism. Conservative Protestantism and science have a history of “long-standing social/moral competition” ADDIN EN.CITE Evans201321(Evans & Feng, 2013)212117Evans, J. H.Feng, J.Dept. of Sociology, Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United StatesClimatic ChangeClim. Chang. (Netherlands)Climatic Change595-6081214global
The Kyoto Protocol was created in Kyoto, Japan on 11 December 1997 and approved on 16 February 2005 in response to the increasingly alarming rate of global warming. Climate change has always been present even before the Anthropocene era, but has only been more drastic in the recent decades. If the rate of global warming is left unchecked, there will likely be more extreme natural events such as drought, floods, heatwaves, and many more harmful weather. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) stated in the fourth assessment that “it is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-twentieth century.” (IPCC, 2014) In order to avoid …show more content…
For poor and developing countries, the lack of emission restraints is justified. A strong economy must exist before a nation can proceed to adopt environmental policies. For developed countries, whether the state reduces emissions or not is under the control of political leaders. The EU promised reduced emissions for both the first and the second commitment periods. Other nations such as Canada and United States are more focused in the economy rather than the emission reductions. Skepticism is another factor to Kyoto Protocol’s failure. A study ADDIN EN.CITE Brenton201320(Brenton, 2013)202017Brenton, AnthonyWolfson College, Barton Road, Cambridge, CB3 9BB, United KingdomClimate PolicyClimate Policy541-546135climate changeemission controlenvironmental policyenvironmental politicsinternational organizationKyoto Protocolnineteenth centuryOECDpolitical processUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate ChangeWorld Trade Organization20134 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4RN, United KingdomTaylor and Francis Ltd.14693062http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14693062.2013.77463210.1080/14693062.2013.774632(Brenton, 2013) states that the US is more dependent on cheap energy, more skeptical about the science behind climate change, and less willing to submit to international economic regulation. The power of media and the conservative beliefs of the nation is likely the source of the skepticism. Conservative Protestantism and science have a history of “long-standing social/moral competition” ADDIN EN.CITE Evans201321(Evans & Feng, 2013)212117Evans, J. H.Feng, J.Dept. of Sociology, Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United StatesClimatic ChangeClim. Chang. (Netherlands)Climatic Change595-6081214global