The Lack of Commitment to Reduce Polluting Gases

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997 and enforced in 2005. 186 countries have ratified it. It is the year 2010 and the United States, the second in the list of the countries that most release carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, has not ratified the Protocol yet.

During the last administration there was the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which has good energy efficiency provisions, but not all of them were approved. (Annex, 2007) It was the only major act on energy policy and not entirely successful. It demonstrates the lack of interest of the Bush’s administration in looking for more efficient ways of producing energy (or maybe I should say a great interest in maintaining energy production/consumption the way it is.) Also, the non-ratification of the Kyoto Protocol showed the country was not willing to make environmentally protective decisions in detriment of business profits. That can be the only explanation, since the knowledge of the damage that greenhouse gases have been doing to our planet is well known for decades.

Obama seems and talks as if he were a lot more concerned about the production of clean energy. And he should be. The delay of the American government to take actions on this matter has been bringing considerable damage to the whole world. Considering that the United States is the second country that most releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, just imagine how much change it would bring to our planet if the American government were more seriously committed to reducing its emission levels of polluting gases. It would represent a huge impact on nature.

I am very hopeful that this administration will pass an energy bill that will bring significant changes. Obama has already proved to be a lot more committed to it when in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act $80 billion were designated to help clean energy investments. He also increased fuel economy standards for cars and trucks produced in 2011 and on. I hope the Legislative finally understands the importance of clean energy and support the President efforts in this issue. It would be a great opportunity for the country to demonstrate the concern with the world’s nature and it would also be an opportunity to rebuild the image of the United States before the other nations.