Opposition to the Kyoto Protocol

Opposition was made against the Kyoto protocolThose who do not believe CO2 is the most significant greenhouse gas form part of the opposition to the Kyoto Protocol. They believe that the effect of increasing CO2 levels will have little effect on climate, and this debate has lead to questions about the effectiveness of implementing the Kyoto Protocol.

The argument of the opposition is that if CO2 is not the most influential greenhouse gas regarding climate change, will cutting emissions really have a significant and worthwhile effect? Cornfield

Another view against the protocol publicised by Bjorn Lombourg (2001) in “The Sceptical Environmentalist”, accepts that humans have dramatically increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and the increase has had an adverse influence on temperature. However, rather than agreeing with the UNFCC and the IPCC that greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced or we will suffer the negative environmental consequences, Lombourg (2001) believes that climate change will not be as disruptive as popular opinion would have us believe. Furthermore, he suggests that even though it is happening it will be too expensive to try to rectify or reduce. He disagrees about the sensitivity of the global climate to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and criticises IPCC predictions claiming that the climate models are inaccurate with their representation of the effect of aerosols, water vapour and clouds will have on the system.

Lombourg (2001) claims that global warming will not decrease global food production, and probably not increase storminess or the frequency of hurricanes. He argues that the Kyoto Protocol should not be implemented, and the money saved will produce a richer world that can protect itself better. He believes it will be more expensive to cut CO2 emissions than to pay the costs of adapting to the increased temperatures and related effects. Lombourg (2001) estimates the cost of global warming at 5 trillion dollars and argues the affect of Kyoto, even if successful, will be very small in the order of 0.15 oC in 2100, or the equivalent of delaying the temperature increase by approximately 6 years. As an economist he produces calculations that suggest Kyoto represents a waste of global resources for very little benefit.


You May Also Like These Topics...
Featured image text: "The Story of Landia UK's growth with Liz Robinson."

From Humble Beginnings to Industry Leaders: The Story of Landia UK’s Growth with Liz Robinson

Discover the remarkable 30-year journey of Landia UK, a leader in pump manufacturing. Join Liz Robinson as she reflects on her pivotal role from the company’s humble beginnings to its status as an industry innovator in the UK and Ireland. Learn how Landia UK’s commitment to quality and customer service has driven its growth and […]

15 Ways to Prevent Climate Change

Here we describe 15 great Ways to Prevent Climate Change. There are a huge number of ways you can help prevent climate change, from making small changes to your daily routine to voting in elections that promote environmental change. Are you in a rush? Then just read this! Below are ten quick suggested actions that […]

Image text: "Overfishing Causes and Solutions".

Overfishing – Causes of Overfishing and Overfishing Solutions

The term overfishing is often assumed to refer to the overfishing of fish but in fact, it refers to all aquatic species including shellfish, crabs, lobsters and many others. In a recent study, the University of British Columbia found that China provides the most harmful subsidies to the industry. In fact, in 2011, they provided […]

Image text: "The Benefits of Depackaging Equipment".

Benefits of Depackaging Equipment: Sustainable Organic Waste Processing to Reduce Waste & Raise Profitability

We discuss the benefits of depackaging equipment. The news is that the latest “low destruction” energy-efficient and microplastics avoiding depackaging equipment has now improved to provide reliable “bankable” sustainable Organic Waste Processing which really can reduce waste for all operators of organic waste (especially food waste) reprocessing facilities while simultaneous raising the profitability of organic […]

Previous Post
Classic_cumulus
Articles

Support for the Kyoto Protocol

Next Post
climate change in agriculture
Articles

Climate Change and the Future of Agriculture

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

0 Shares
Tweet
Share
Pin
Share