Date: 2001, Resolution: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2012, Number of nations: 38, US position: excused themselves from Kyoto table in 2001, went into force Feb. 2005

- US carbon dioxide emissions 64% > China's
- Us emissions account for 36% of total emissions of world's top ten polluters, in descending order: US, China, Russia, Japan, India, Germany, Canada, UK, South Korea, Italy

- Co2 levels in the Earth's atmosphere in the 1780s: 280 parts per million
- Over the next 150 years: they only rose 35 parts per million
- Between 1930 and 2005: they jumped to 380 parts per million
- By 2050: without deliberate efforts will exceed 500 parts per million of carbon dioxide

- In 2004: global emissions of carbon amounted to 7 billion metric tons
- By 2029: expected to rise to 10.5 billion metric tons
- By 2050: expected to rise to 14 billion metric tons
- If we reach that level most scientists say we'll be reaching a point of no return where the atmospheric dynamics would ensure a downward slide regardless of human intervention

- Gave a glimpse of where we're headed, provided a wake-up call for the US
- Public & private leaders see connection between carbonization warming weather & security and increasingly agree that something must be done

- Automobile industry: 30% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions ← automobiles.
- In 2005 Ford Motor Company set a target for lowering atmospheric co2 produced by his company
- Large industrial companies and entire transportation sector
- In 2006 Walmart announced support for federal program that would cover electric energy producers
- Walmart targeted own truck fleet & pledged to make it 25% more efficient in 2 years and double its fuel efficiency within 10 years
- Energy providers emit 70% of our carbons through their coal burning furnaces, if the burden of carbon cleanup is on the horizon they want it to be fairly shared, otherwise it would be unduly burdensome to customers. This would include controls on the auto industry as well as some large manufacturers and distributors up and down the consumer supply train. Higher fuel taxes, more stringent efficiency standards and incentives to adjust consumer behavior would be expected
- Government showing signs of waking up: Senate Energy Committee put out a public call to companies and organizations for blueprint plans to address & control carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases
- Committee already received 160 documents from a very diverse group. How will the Bush administration respond? So far it's been voluntary but in the fall of 2005 the Senate had 53 votes in favor of controls if they will not significantly harm the United States economy, a step in the right direction - Countries like Japan address the issue & “flex their recovering economic muscles” → actions must move quickly

Demo Content