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Essay Subject: Background of how global warming became a political rather than scientific issue. Struggle between economically powerful nations & developing nations. Failure of Kyoto Protocal.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Background of how global warming became a political rather than scientific issue. Struggle between economically powerful nations & developing nations. Failure of Kyoto Protocal. Paper Introduction: GLOBAL WARMING AND THE STRUGGLE OF NATIONS Global Warming has become a political, rather than a scientific issue. Mainly, it is a struggle between the economically powerful nations, to whom switching to more efficient fuels is less of an economic burden and the developing nations, who are less concerned with science and more with the welfare of their depressed populations. A little background is in order: In 1974, two scientists wrote a research paper. The theme was that because Chlorofluorocarbons, CFC's, were extremely stable in our lower atmosphere, they could drift into the stratosphere, break apart, and release large quantities of chlorine into the atmosphere. The report stated that each chlorine atom could potentially destroy 100,000 ozone molecules. Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. How much of a "failure" was Kyoto? "Until We Know More About Global Warming, the Bestpolicy is a highly Flexible One" The Chronicle of Higher Education July 2,1999 On the Internet: websites are: www.daily.umn.edu www.nsc.org www.tuvcc.state.tx.us www.monster.edu.kent.edu/~compclub/inquiry/...7-98/ozone.html www.nsc.org/ehc/guidebks/climchp5.htm www.epa.gov/globalwarming emissions 2 to 25 percent above the 199 level" (Jacoby 19987). What makes this alarming is that, In its seventeenth State of the World annual report...(WorldWatch) said that few of the environmental problems of the last century have been solved, and many new ones are being created.... As Pogo said: "We have seen the enemy and it is us." References Anonymous. A realistic plan calls for the reduction ofcarbon-dioxide emissions in cases where it would be cost-effective andinvolve a mechanism, for compensating companies. administration will do anything to speed up theurgency of emissions legislation is still to be seen. The 276-page, titled 'State of the World 2 ',.said the biological impoverishment of the earth is accelerating as the human population grows. And it is now a hole in theozone layer, getting bigger all the time. (1998). "Ratified by 172 countries and hailed by many experts asthe most successful international environmental agreement, the MontrealProtocol has, unfortunately, not succeeded in halting deterioration of theozone layer. (1999) "Tough Issues Confront Congress" CongressionalQuarterly June 5. In other words,if we want to reduce the causes of global warming, it will cost a lot ofmoney. "Unfortunately, income growth in the mostpopulous non-participating countries- including China, India, Indonesia,and Brazil- seems unlikely to encourage voluntary efforts until the latterpart of the next century" (Jacoby 1998 4). We know one thing: poverty makes people more vulnerable to environmental disturbance...In other words, all the effects of global warming will hit the poor the hardest and earliest... "We Cannot Go On Like This"(Editorial) NewStatesman, Nov. A recent meeting has held in Kyoto, Japan, resulting in the KyotoProtocol, where nations agreed to set and meet new standards for pollutionand emissions, set at pre-199 levels. For one thing, some of the seriouslypolluting nations did not sign any agreement. 1998 2). The EPA was barred from using funds to 'propose or issue rules, regulations, decrees or orders for the purposes of (implementing) the Kyoto Protocol' (Anon 1999 19).It is obvious that lobbyists were behind this. In fact, it is becoming abiological disaster. which arefinding "U.S. (Anon. participation in the Kyoto Protocol has escalated to the point that lawmakers tried last fall to prohibit the administration from even conducting public seminars on global warming.... In 1998 and 1999, the Antarctic ozone hole was found to be thelargest, deepest, and longest lasting ever" (Revere 2 1). This theory has turned out to be real. They have "promised not to send the Kyotoprotocol to the Senate for ratification until developing nations commit to'substantial participation'." (Jacoby 1998 7) Since these nations cannotafford to participate, based on their economic or political situations, itlooks like the most powerful and influential nation in the world will donothing. Congressional opposition to U.S. The report statedthat each chlorine atom could potentially destroy 1 , ozone molecules.Twenty-five years ago, nobody gave this theory a lot of thought. It is true that nations of the European Union, among others, aresetting new standards and setting aside funds for "clean air" and loweremissions facilities and R & D. Whether the new U.S. "Mounting scientific evidence indicates that the combustion offossil fuels, deforestation, and poor land-use practices will cause amajor, and perhaps self-reinforcing, shift in global climate, given presenttrends." (Orr 2 B7) Switching to uses of other than fossil fuels, assome nations are doing with wind-powered and solar energy, can "accrue toour advantage, saving upwards of $2 billion per year." (Orr 2 B7)However, such switches are costly investments, something the powerfulnations can afford, while the Third World, already mired in deep financialdistress, is left begging once again. An earlier international conference on global warming was held inMontreal in 1987. So much so that in October, 1998, the WorldMeteorological Organization announced that the Ozone hole above theAntarctic was the biggest ever in September, 1998. Right now, there isnothing in place to slow down the rise of emissions in the U.S. "Kyoto's Unfinished Business" ForeignAffairs, July/August.www.findarticles.com/cf_ /m11 4_v77/2 951581/print.jhtml Knight, Danielle: "Environment: WorldWatch Warns of TroublingEnvironmental Trends" Environmental Bulletin Jan 15, 2 Orr, David W.: "Saving Future Generations from Global Warming" TheChronicle of higher Education April 21, 2 Revere,Jessica Vallette: "Ozone Depletion and Global Warming" ForeignPolicy in Focus, April, 2 Wilcoxen, Peter J. Achievement of substantialreduction in this way implies international transfers of wealth on a scalewell beyond anything in recorded history" (Jacoby 1998 4). Jacoby, Henry D. It grew by 15 percent.That means not only Antarctica but a large area of the Pacific and Atlanticoceans, including the Southern tip of South America, would get largernumbers of harmful ultraviolet rays. (Knight 2 1). The share of bird, mammal, and fish species that are in danger of extinction is now in double-digits- 11 percent of all bird species, 25 percent of mammals, and 34 percent of fish... The theme was thatbecause Chlorofluorocarbons, CFC's, were extremely stable in our loweratmosphere, they could drift into the stratosphere, break apart, andrelease large quantities of chlorine into the atmosphere. There seems to be no other wayto get these other nations to reduce their global warming emissions than tohave the relatively rich participating countries "pay at least some of thepoor countries to reduce their emissions. (1998). And that is the biggest obstacle of them all: whether the wealthiernations would be willing not merely to subsidize but literally GIVEbillions of dollars to help the other poorer nations develop the facilitiesand a strategy to help reduce global warming. 13.www.findarticles.com/cf_ /mOFQP/4411_127/5329 564/print.jhtml Anonymous. The policy should beflexible and require an international system of permits and fees for theuse of fossil fuels" (Wilcoxen 1999 1). Unfortunately, politics still plays a role, especially in the U.S.Congress. The Clinton Administration has, frankly, waffled, on doing somethingconstructive immediately. Also, "Kyoto mainly postponesmuch-needed work on what may prove to be a long-term challenge" (Jacoby1998 1). But, "it failed without a cost-effective plan for businesses. Again, the environment and globalwarming turned into a political and business cat fight instead of amutually beneficial agreement. A little background is in order: In 1974, two scientists wrote a research paper. Perhap, somehow, public opinion could be mustered to get Congress todo something, but with the Republicans now in control, and guided by bigbusiness, chances are slim that anything will happen either within the U.S.or for huge dollar amounts to flow to the developing nations for theirecological benefit. Still, the fact remains that the phenomenon of Global warming and thespread of the hole in the ozone layer is not a natural one, but a man-madecrisis. GLOBAL WARMING AND THE STRUGGLE OF NATIONS Global Warming has become a political, rather than a scientific issue.Mainly, it is a struggle between the economically powerful nations, to whomswitching to more efficient fuels is less of an economic burden and thedeveloping nations, who are less concerned with science and more with thewelfare of their depressed populations. 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