Hey in no place have I been defending Kyoto it was a hack job negotiation that was eventually finalized 11 hours after the conference of parties was supposed to officially end. The United States knew it would never pass through the senate but Gore and Clinton both wanted to score some international points. It's incredibly weak, the major policy instruments are only now being finalized a full 9 years after it was first signed and there is still no compliance mechanism.
BUT, it is a first step. Humanity and more specifically, government, bureaucracy, and business are incrementalist by nature. That means you start with something and build on it. Look at all the international agreements: almost all started weak but gained momentum. GATT, law of the seas, etc.
Kyoto needs to be stronger and tied to the WTO IMO. Comply with Kyoto, then you get access to the WTO, if you don't comply then you don't get free trade.
|