Kyoto Essay -- essays research papers

Is the Kyoto Protocol the Wrong Approach? Climate change is a relevant issue today that should be on the minds of people. In 1972, scientists discovered that CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons) might destroy the ozone layer. In 1985, scientists discovered that the destruction of the ozone layer was occurring quite rapidly and recommended that country leaders should take action as soon as possible to decrease CFC levels. In 1987, in Montreal, representatives from all over the world, came together to ban CFC’s. This was the first successful collective action taken against global warming. But now the problem is larger than just banning the gas from refrigerators. The world continues to warm fast enough to alarm geologists, meteorologists, and others who study climate change. International initiatives to offset global warming began on 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit, organized by the United Nations. However, the result was a weak non-bonding agreement aimed to reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. Five years later, in Kyoto, Japan, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change or UNFCCC came up with a treaty call the Kyoto Protocol (UNFCCC). The Kyoto Protocol is based on the idea that 38 nations needed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2 percent below 1990 emissions levels. However, this is not the solution to global warming. The main reason being that only industrialized countries are committing to reduce their emissions, and developing countries have been left out of the treaty. In addition, large emitters of carbon dioxide such as the US and Australia didn’t choose to ratify the agreement. The Kyoto Protocol will have a low impact in the reduction of greenhouse gases, but it will create a significant economical and social benefit, generating jobs and economic growth in Canada. The Kyoto Protocol is the wrong approach to reduce greenhouse gases below 1990 emissions levels. As Tennesen suggests, the Kyoto Protocol will be in progress during 2008 to 2012. During these years, developed countries will have to reduce their carbon dioxide levels by 5.2 percent below 1990 emission levels. Countries such as the United States, Japan and the European Union have to reduce their emissions levels, he suggests, whereas The Russian Federation, Ukraine and New Zealand need to increase their emissions (215). Tennesen also states, ... ...of climate change. Like a permit policy, it can easily be adjusted to achieve a variety of distributional effects. As a result, it is far more realistic than either of the alternatives. Because it does not require signatories to commit achieving a specific emissions target regardless of the cost, it is more likely to be ratified than the Kyoto Protocol. Because its distributional effects would be much more acceptable, its political prospects are much better than those of the carbon tax. Overall, a hybrid policy is an efficient and practical approach to climate change†. (101) In conclusion, the Kyoto Protocol would do nothing to reduce the emissions of greenhouse. Although it would make a good contribution to the social an economic aspect of the Canadian economy, the Kyoto Protocol is flawed due to its targets and timetables, which are only in force during a four years period, 2008-2012. The Hybrid Policy is the best next alternative after the Kyoto Protocol. With its market-based instruments, emissions taxes and tradable permits, the Hybrid Policy is a more attractive climate policy for countries and firms to ratify, and it is a more realistic approach to offset global warming.

The third maddening buzz

Fear, disappointment, and disbelief filled my mind as I opened my tear filled, burning eyes.   Everything was a blur, as if it were surreal.   There was a massive amount of dust from the air bag, and smoke coming from under the hood of my car.   As I turn to my right, remembering Josh had been with me in the car, I begin to panic.All that I can see is his head against the windshield.   I begin to shout his name as I shake his shoulder.   â€Å"Josh   Josh, are you okay?   Say something†Ã‚  Ã‚   The weight of the world has just come crumbling down on me and from that moment on my life was changed forever.The third maddening buzz of my alarm woke me as I groggily slid out of bed, and into the shower.   It was the start of another routine morning, or so I thought.   I took a shower, and quarrelled with my sister over which clothes were mine to wear, and which were hers.   Luckily, it was Memorial Day, so we didn’t have school.   If it were a normal we ekday, we would have surely been late.My boyfriend Josh decided to stop by to see me after I was finished my grooming routine.   While sitting at the table with my parents, Josh informs us that his parents have invited us to a picnic at their house today.   We decided that we should bring something, perhaps a watermelon or cantaloupe.   Without missing a beat, my parents advise me that I need to go to the store to pick these up.With music blasting and voices singing and talking, it was another typical ride to the store, only this time we didn’t make it very far.   We backed out of the driveway, after a white truck had passed.   I begin to speed up to the speed limit (25 miles per hour).   Josh is a neat freak, so as soon as we are on our way, he decides to round up the trash in my car.After going about a quarter of a mile down the road, only three houses away from my house, the white truck begins to turn left into a driveway.   Not thinking anything of it, I slo wed down to give him time to get out of my lane. When he was out of the way I hit the gas again.   Within the blink of any eye, the white truck had shifted into reverse and backed into my lane.   I slammed on the brakes, the tires squealed, but it was too late.I opened my eyes, and gasped for air.   Fear filled my head. My eyes burned and stung.   It was hard for me to catch my breath.   The dust from my airbag was circulating within the car. In that very moment I kept saying to myself, â€Å"It was just a dream, I am still sleeping, you’ll wake up in a few minutes.†As the dust settles, I begin to see that this is no dream.   I could see the white truck in front of my car, and slightly on top of my hood.   Smoke begins to fill the air from the engine in my car.   I start feeling pain in my right foot, shooting up my right leg.   My chest hurt, as if someone was stomping on it.   I feel as if my neck is on the verge of snapping off of my body. As I a m beginning to notice all of my bodily injuries, I remember that Josh had been riding with me.

John Winthrop And Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1876 Words

About a century ago, such scholar as Nietzsche disregarded the principles of modern â€Å"factualism†. Later on, Weber established the end of the era of generalists. One cannot but state extreme specialization and narrowly focused technical work to have changed certain visions into straight forward realities. Concerning this essay, it is mainly aimed at analyzing the sociological speculations of two outstanding thinkers John Winthrop and Ralph Waldo Emerson that, in view of widely-acknowledged scholars, reflect the state of public opinion even though they date back over two centuries; to be precise, the focus lies in comparing and contrasting the utopian visions of the two above mentioned thinkers, making emphasis on what utopia meant for these two authors and the way it was supposed to be achieved. Moreover, the paper is focused on interpreting and coming to terms with the pivotal social movements of Puritanism as well as transcendentalism. Speaking about the peculiarities of social theories, it is necessary to take a view of recognized changes in vast domains of social life and culture. The research will emphasize the main reconstructions of social and cultural theories due to historical events. The essay is also targeted on finding out whether it is logically to discount all the concepts, methods of the past, and acknowledge the new theoretical assumptions. According to Kathleen M. Hogan of the University of Virginia, the historical yearning for some type of American utopiaShow MoreRelatedRalph Waldo Emerson, John Winthrop, And Benjamin Franklin1297 Words   |  6 Pagestopic are Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Winthrop, and Benjamin Franklin. Each author has a different view over this subject. Emerson believes someone should not conform to his or her society, while Winthrop believes conformity is what will benefit society; Franklin on the other hand believes in a mix of both. 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The eyes of all people are upon us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  - William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation (1630-50, pub. 1856) - Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672), TheRead MoreNathaniel Hawthorne: Literature of Consience Essay2942 Words   |  12 Pagesauthors. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Hawthornes had already left their legacy with the town of Salem leaving Nathaniel Hawthorne a long rich history of ancestry in the town. In 1630, William Hawthorne made the Journey to the New World with John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts. Two of Hawthorne’s relatives who were directly involved with the Salem witch trials, also left their mark on the town. Hawthorne carried a direct relation to Judge Hathorne himself, being the primary causeRead More Puritanism: The People, Religion, and Poetry Essay4374 Words   |  18 Pageslike the biblical nation of Israel and as the body of Christ. 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