Kerry believes dropping out of Kyoto Treaty was foolhardy....

[TexasSissy]

www.johnkerry.com contains Kerry's comprehensive plan on energy and the environment. Part of it deals with re-engaging with the international community on environmental issues, and in part says:

• Reengaging in the development of an international climate change strategy.

Bush’s abrupt and unilateral decision to abandon discussions with the world community on climate change was early evidence of this Administration’s misguided approach to dealing with the community of nations. Dropping out of international implementation of the Kyoto
Protocol was foolhardy then, and it is even more obviously foolhardy today. In our absence, many of our major trading partners in Europe and elsewhere have been working on the details of international programs to manage greenhouse gas emissions. American interests are on the sidelines, having no ability to influence the development of a system that will profoundly affect the global approach to resource protection and investment in climate change technologies -- issues in which American companies who conduct business around the world have a vital interest in.

Another poster has stated that the initial draft of the 2004 Democratic Platform has removed signing onto the Kyoto Treaty. This would be contrary to Kerry's previously stated position on this subject. Does anyone have a definitive link on the status of this matter in the current draft of the platform?

[mstrsplinter326]

1. The kyoto treaty is non-binding, right?

Is there a real plan to enforce the treaty WITHOUT alienating business to the point where they leave the country?

[MsUSA]

7. "without alienating business to the point....."

Aren't business already leaving the country??? Kyoto doesn't have anything to do with that does it??? Just wondering.

[JI7]

8. businesses are going into nations kyoto does not deal with

which is one of the reasons kerry wants to negotiate a true treaty to deal with global warming. the businesses are going to places like china, india, etc where it's cheap for them and where kyoto is not an issue. these nations are not included in kyoto. so it does nothing to help with dealing with global warming.

what kerry wants to do is bring these nations like china and india into the new treaty and help them get energy in ways that don't harm the environment and cause further global warming.

kerry's position is to actually do something about global warming.

[mstrsplinter326]

13. Kyoto could piss off business, if enforced, because it

Restricts their ability to pollute. Not that I am against the Treaty, but there needs to be a comprensive, UN introduced BINDING measure that does all the things the Kyoto treaty does (and more).

[JI7]

2. he wants to negotiate a treaty which actually does something about global

warming. kyoto does nothing about nations like china and india which will contribute heavily to global warming unless we bring them in and help them with alternative ways of getting energy. and that's what kerry wants to do.

his problem with bush was he dropped the entire matter because of a few flaws. he used the flaws as an excuse to drop the matter entirely and to not do anything about it.

[TexasSissy]

3. As I recall, Bush dropped out saying, "Global warming still needs more

scientific study." In other words, he dropped out because he said he considered global warming not proven (what else would an oil company say?).

Anyway, that's what I recall at the time the story of dropping out hit the news.

[sandnsea]

4. Kyoto Protocol

The conferences and negotiations about the Kyoto Treaty. He has never said he supports the treaty in its current form. Almost nobody in the Senate does, it would never pass. Did nobody here watch one debate where Kerry talked about the Kyoto Protocol and walking away from the negotiations of 140 nations?

[TexasSissy]

5. Still, why is this issue not incl. in the platform? Working on int'l

agreement or Kyoto Protocol or whatever?

[DaveSZ]

6. Climate Stewardship Act: The Senator Vote Record

This is the global warming bill authored by McCain and Holy Joe:

http://www.jdhodges.com/log/1346

Kerry voted for it at least.

[sangh0]

9. Because Kyoto is dead

and support for protecting the environment *IS* in the platform.

[JI7]

10. some don't care

you would think if they cared about global warming they would understand that india and china and other developing nations need to be brought on board to deal with it. and kyoto does not do that which is why kerry wants a stronger treaty. he actually wants to do something about global warming. he knows businesses go to nations like china and india because they have different standards. he wants all nations involved because he wants to do something about global warming rather than make empty statements to satisfy those who don't even know what kyoto is about.

[sangh0]

11. If they cared about global warming, they wouldnt worship Sen Byrd

the Senate's greatest contributor of greenhouse gases. I wonder how many of the "Sudden environmentalists" support "Clean" Coal and mountaintop removal.

Byrd supports both

[sandnsea]

12. They took out pro-death penalty language too

But nobody posts how wonderful that is. People just want a reason to hate Democrats and Kerry. Too obvious.