Urging the United States Senate to decline to ratify the treaty from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted in December 1997 at Kyoto, Japan..

Posted: February 2, 2000

In December 1997, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change met at Kyoto, Japan and adopted a treaty which, if ratified by the U.S. Senate, would commit the United States to reducing our carbon dioxide levels to seven percent below the levels of 1990. If the U.S. Senate ratifies this treaty, the United States would be placed at a considerable economic disadvantage to many other countries with no assurance that these efforts would substantially impact global warming.

In spite of the lack of sound scientific evidence supporting the conclusion that carbon emissions are a major contributing factor to global warming, the Kyoto treaty sets very tough standards for the United States and other industrialized countries to meet. However, the treaty exempts 129 developing nations. China, Mexico, India, Brazil and South Korea are among the many nations exempted from the treaty requirements. Not considered by the Framework Convention were the rapidly increasing greenhouse gas emissions of the exempted developing countries. As early as 2015, these countries are expected to surpass emissions of the United States and other countries included under the more strict applications of the treaty.

Forcing a reduction in our carbon emissions would no doubt result in more government regulation, and, potentially, imposition of carbon production permits, rationing and taxes on consumer carbon emissions. These actions would result in sharply increasing the costs of production and in the loss of many jobs.

Finally, the charge to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was to address the greenhouse gas emissions problem on a global basis. The Kyoto treaty fails to do this. While the United States should make every effort to do its part to address the global warming problem, the burden should not fall disproportionately on our shoulders while other countries are exempted from responsibility.

Your support for this message to the U.S. Senate would help ensure that the Kyoto treaty is not ratified.