Bali Conference
US Needs to Do Proper Role to Ease Global Warming
The United Nations Climate Change Conference ended on Saturday with delegates having reached a broad consensus on the need to map out a new device by 2009 to replace the current Kyodo Protocol that expires in 2012. It is meaningful that the participants managed to build a momentum for the post-Kyodo regime though they have largely failed to set out standards for curtailing of emissions of carbon dioxide to relieve the aggravating global warming phenomenon due to different positions among them.
Delegates from developed countries proposed a 25 to 40 percent reduction of the greenhouse gas by the year 2020 from the level seen in 1990. But the United States has been opposing the idea of presenting a numerical target, calling for reductions on a voluntary basis. The U.S. has been criticized since it failed to sign the Kyodo Protocol that was adopted at the U.N. 10 years ago and took effect in 2005. The U.S. has been rebuffing all convincing evidence that shows greenhouse gases have been causing global warming. The reality is that the U.S. has been eager to protect its domestic industries by not signing the climate change accord.
The U.S. is the largest emitter of harmful gases and without its participation any international agreement will be useless. But Paula Dobriansky, the U.S. delegate in Bali, refused to accept language calling on industrialized nations to deliver ``measurable, reportable and verifiable'' assistance. Her remarks triggered rebukes from representatives of developing countries. She also underlined that Canada and Russia, as well as the U.S. have also been opposing the possible setting up of target emission volumes.
This seemingly selfish attitude is feared to negatively affect other nations such as China and India, in particular. China, the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has been avoiding its obligations while stressing the need for the U.S. and other developed nations to perform their ``historical responsibility.'' Former U.S. vice president and Nobel laureate Al Gore even proposed a new climate change regime ignoring the U.S., claiming Washington has been blocking progress toward an agreement on launching negotiations to replace the Kyodo Protocol.
We believe numerical goals are essential reference points in efforts to reduce the effect of global warming, as most European countries agree. But any agreement is not meaningful unless the U.S. is involved. In addition to its status as the largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the U.S. is currently the most influential nation in international community. We urge Washington to pay heed to the warning of U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the catastrophic outcome unless proper measures are taken in the very near future over climate change.