NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
In 1997, the worlds major political figures, Including President Clinton of the United States, signed the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (1). While successful negotiation of the Protocol is a positive step for the global environment, it is only a small step. A number of obstacles such as some nations economic interests conflict with the Protocol, have to be overcome if the Protocol is to produce real reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases that have begun to influence global climate. The current U. S president George W. Bush, for example, against the agreement based on defending the economic interests of the U.
S. Through this conflict with the Kyoto Agreement and searching for the balance between the greatest national economic interests and focusing on global environmental protection, George Bush's role on the world stage has been redefined. The target of Kyoto Agreement was to bind all signing nations to reducing their carbon dioxide emissions. According to most scientists, Carbon dioxide is the most important man-made greenhouse gas, accounting for about two-thirds of the human-derived greenhouse effect (2).
The worst-case scenario forecast by scientists is the "runaway greenhouse effect" in which all the factors that cause global warming would eventually override the factors which work against it. Forests, for example, are thought to counter carbon dioxide emissions, because plants recycle carbon dioxide during photosynthesis (3). There are also fears that if Polar icecaps begin to melt, then organic matter stored in the ice will be oxidized. This could release huge amounts of carbon dioxide and methane. The melting of the Arctic ice cap would also reduce the amount of solar radiation the planet reflects, allowing more heat to be trapped (3). One prediction suggests that if current trends persist, Carbon dioxide levels will double by 2050, air temperatures could rise between 1 and 3. 5 degrees C.
by 2100. Recent research published in the magazine Nature has suggested this rise could be more like 6 degrees C. in the next century. As the world warms, the average sea level is expected to rise - by between 15 cm and 95 cm by 2100 relative to 1990 - as a result of thermal expansion of the oceans and melting of glaciers and the ice sheets. The 90 s were not only the warmest decade of the 20 th century, but also of the millennium.
In addition to this trend of high temperatures, we can expect intense precipitation, long dry spells, frequent hurricanes and extremely high temperatures sometimes (2). Besides, changing regional climates may lead to increase in the spread of disease and the shortage of all kinds resources (3). Therefore, by requiring all signing nations to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by an average of 5. 2 % below the level projected for each nation by 2012, the Kyoto Agreement can help reduce such global problems. In this agreement, developed countries agreed to cut their collective greenhouse emissions by an average of 5. 2 % below 1990 levels by the year 2012.
Different countries adopted different targets: the EU committed to a cut of 8 %, the US by 7 % and Japan by 6 %. Russia and the Ukraine agreed to stabilize at 1990 levels (4).
Free research essays on topics related to: high temperatures, carbon dioxide emissions, greenhouse effect, kyoto agreement, economic interests
Research essay sample on George W Bush And The Kyoto Agreement
