Iraq Again Focuses Attention on U.S., This Time By Ratifying Kyoto
by Andrew Posner, Rhode Island, USA on 01.29.08
Yes, that's right: the Iraqi government, which has been unable to provide many basic services and security to its citizens, has ratified the Kyoto Protocol. According to the Agence France-Presse,
The presidential council ratified in its session on January 23 a law according to which the Republic of Iraq will join the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol
This bit of news will likely put the United States into an even more uncomfortable position with respect to climate change, especially given that Australia ratified the treaty in December, leaving the U.S. as the only industrialized nation yet to join. Oh, and then there was that mildly embarrassing incident in Bali, where the U.S. was told by the representative from Papua New Guinea to either lead or "get out of the way." After all, if Iraq can find the political will to ratify Kyoto, it's hard to believe that the U.S., with its more than 200 year history of democracy and a populace that is demanding action, can't do the same.
It's not entirely clear why Iraq would even bother ratifying the protocol. Granted, the move is largely symbolic, since developing countries have no commitments under the first phase of Kyoto and the new law is not "specific on the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions Iraq would seek to cut." Furthermore, even if Iraq did have targets to meet, it likely would have an easy time doing so. Much as Russia and the former Soviet Bloc countries have benefited from a lower baseline emissions level thanks to the drastic decline in production--and therefore carbon emissions--after the fall of the Soviet Union, Iraq's emissions must have fallen dramatically after the U.S. invasion brought the economy to a standstill. Still, it's interesting why a country in disarray would bother taking a stance on climate change, symbolic or otherwise.
Certainly, Iraq has seen some unusual weather recently. In fact, several weeks ago it snowed in Baghdad for the first time in 100 years. And as an arid, impoverished and ethnically divided country, Iraq is especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Ironically, "the Iraqis decided to join the pioneering, yet troubled pact almost two weeks after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was hailing legislative progress on another front." So it's entirely possible that Iraq was also inclined to embarrass the U.S., or at the very least assert its sovereignty.
Via: ::the LEDE (NY Times Blog) and ::Agence France-Presse
See Also: ::Snow in Buenos Aires: Was it Global Warming?, ::Canada Sort of Commits to Kyoto. We Think., ::Climate Change Causing Malaria in Papua New Guinea Every Year, Says Expert, ::Responding to Bali, ::Bali Blogging: "Excuse Me Mister, Where Are You Going?", ::A Democracy at Work: Australia Votes on Climate Change, ::In Iraq, Scooters Are the Way to Get Around Town, ::Europe May Tax Non-Kyoto Nations, and ::Europe on Course to Beat Kyoto Objectives
This could be good for the country, if it spurs green infrastructure growth. Any infrastructure growth is good in Iraq, especially green infrastructure, which is the safest out there.
Andrew, it saddens me to say you're being to kind to yourselves...
'yet to join' - implies that you will join. Are you?
Will the US sign the Geneva Convention at the same time?
I'm just going to highlight a couple of aspects of this post that deserve closer scrutiny:
Mildly embarrassing incident in Bali - Mildly?
Iraq was also inclined to embarrass the U.S. - you're current government needs no external help to do that.
As you mention in your post, Kyoto itself is a symbolic act and is largely useless. A paper tiger initiative at best saying there is a problem but you can do whatever you want about it. We should be promoting internal legislation to implement these changes instead of promoting a hugely flawed initiative over a decade old that the vast vast number of nations will woefully fail to live up to.
Even if the US government don't give a damn - then they will feel the cold "love" of the realities very, very soon....The reason is simple....As Shells CEO said then the easy oil can not keep up with demand from 2015 sothat translates into...higher prices....So, dear USA - let us prepare ourselves for $200 /barrel oil - that will probably get some action going.
So, this whole environment thing will actually take care of itself not the least that windturbine power within 2-3 years will be cheaper than coal.
It was a good comment that Papa New Guinea made that if we (the US) are not going to do our part then we should go away - Kudos to them for standing up as a tiny country and say some truth words.
As you allude to, Iraq's CO2 emissions are already sure to be well below 1990 levels- we've bombed the crap out of their industry TWICE since then. In that case, adopting Kyoto is a fairly meaningless symbolic gesture. And a diversion from the difficult work they should be doing to keep the country from falling apart and descending into civil war as soon as the next president pulls all the troops out.