posted on Oct, 22 2004 @ 09:13 AM
The Kyoto Protocol has been passed and ratified by the Russian lower house of parliament. This passage pouts the Protocol on the road to becoming a
reality. The Duma voted 334-73 to pass the measure which requires a reduction of greenhouse gasses over the next 8 years.
story.news.yahoo.com
MOSCOW - Russia's lower house of parliament ratified the Kyoto Protocol on combatting global warming Friday, putting the sweeping environmental pact
firmly on the road to taking effect.
The State Duma voted 334-73 to approve the treaty, which gives industrialized nations eight years to cut their collective emmissions of six key
greenhouse gases to 5.2 percent below 1990 levels.
The pact must still be approved by Russia's upper house and President Vladimir Putin, but both steps are exptected. Once that is done, the pact will
have been ratified by the necessary 55 countries that accounted for at least 55 percent of global emissions in 1990. Without Russia's ratification,
that would be impossible because the United States declined to ratify.
The United States alone accounted for 36 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in 1990.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
The measure must still pass the upper house as well as President Putin, but both are expected to happen. Once Russia ratifies the pact, then 55
countries that account for 55 percent of the gas emission will be on boards. The United States, one of the biggest producers of carbon dioxide is not
a party to the Kyoto Protocol.