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KEVIN Rudd in his first act as prime minister has ratified the Kyoto Protocol, but warned Australia is likely to face harsh penalties for missing its target under the treaty.

Mr Rudd signed the instrument of ratification after receiving the required approval from Governor-General Michael Jeffery today, coinciding with the start of post-Kyoto talks in Bali.

The news was greeted with applause on the floor of the Bali conference.

Australia would become a full Kyoto member before the end of next March, as the ratification becomes effective 90 days after being received by the United Nations, Mr Rudd said.

"Australia's official declaration today that we will become a member of the Kyoto Protocol is a significant step forward in our country's efforts to fight climate change domestically and with the international community," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22861683-2,00.html

http://media.news.com.au/multimedia/med ... tml?id=634

That's great news

I hope he follows through.

It is great news. You can send your countries wealth to less developed countries to buy thier carbon credits rather then using said money to fund research. Congratulations to Nicuraga, El Salvador, ect. Then that country will have more money to buy more things creating more polution.

bah
i like the aussie disregard for everything

Why President Bush Is Right to Abandon the Kyoto Protocol

Carbon Credit Wiki

Emissions Tradiing Wiki

Emission trading suffers as carbon prices plummet

Flaws of the concept

Istik you agree with me? WTF?

Lores wrote:Istik you agree with me? WTF?

Neither. I was just posting what I was reading.

Either way, I do believe that any system that acknowledges there is a problem is a good system and a place to start. Even if it doesnt really change things right now. We still live in a world driven by money and possessions, where most items we buy are not designed to last and where its easier to throw away a baby's nappy than wash it.

The ratification of Kyoto does come with other environmental promises, such as this quote "It would include a commitment to a further reduction – 60 million tonnes – in carbon emissions plus a 30 per cent penalty added to the subsequent commitment target" and to have 20% renewable energy by 2020

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22864865-2,00.html

To me, this is a classic example of "Feel Good" Liberalism. It does nothing to solve the problem and in fact may certainly worsen the problem. But man, you feel better, dont ya?

I didnt want to not offer an example of a company that I think is making headroads into an environmentally sound solution to waste management (in this case).

This company uses plasma (not combustion) to degrade waste into it elemental componets. Out of 1 ton of garbage only 2/10 of an ounce is not recovered as a useful by product. These by products included, electricity, water, fertilizer, aggregates for building materials and several others.

Finiancially, the city of New York pays up wards of $90 a ton to dispose of waste. Plasco will buy this waste for $15 a ton, process it and turn a profit. So NY is making $105 off of each ton (or tonne for you peeps who like to add extra letters).

Here's the link: http://www.plascoenergygroup.com/

This is still in an experimental phase but if we dont encourage the free market or (if necessary) governmental incentives to explore and develop new technologies then at the end of the day, we're just sending our money to other countries to perpetuate our polution.

I thought we talked about video games here