Kyoto Protocol: Post #8

Kyoto Protocol

Figure 1: Showing the effects of climate change, Polar Bears habitats are melting

     The Kyoto Protocol was first brought up in 1997 to help reduce further damage to the Earths natural greenhouse gases and to decrease greenhouse gases emissions for many industrialized countries. It was also issued to help with carbon inequity, which our textbook Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World by Rowantree, Lewis, Price, Wyckoff, defines as “The position taken by developing countries such as China and India, which argue that, because Western industrial countries in North America and Europe have been burning large amounts of fossil fuels since the mid 19^th century and because CO2 stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, these countries caused the global warming problem and therefore should fix it” (54).  The Kyoto Protocol became a legally binding treaty in February of 2005 after being ratified by nearly 55 countries. This treaty being signed has the force of international law backing it, with penalties for countries not reaching their targetedemission reduction.

Figure 2: Graph showing emissions from industrialized countries.  

            The major industrialized countries the Kyoto Protocol are China, United States, Germany, India, Russia, Brazil, and Japan. Many less industrialized,developed countries have signed the treaty as well, but are not required to issue a specific target of emission reduction, they are just required to show their emission levels. The United States and Canada are no longer apart of the Kyoto Protocol. 
      As of 2010 Turkey has opposed the Kyoto Protocol, backing up Russia's oppositions as well. Turkey opposes the Kyoto Protocol because it could reduce its chance to become more industrialized and developed. Turkey also opposes the Kyoto Protocol because they think it would set them back with technology and over all developmentally and leave them struggling more to become successful like The United States and other major developed countries. 

 Works Cited

Information on the Kyoto Protocol
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/legacy/thereporters/richardblack/2010/12/time_to_get_down_to_business_a.html November 30, 2014

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4269921.stm November 30, 2014

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3927813.stm November 30, 2014
Definitions from textbook
Lewis, Price, Rowntree, Wyckoff. "Chapter Two: The Changing Global Environment."
     Globalization and Diversity:Geography of a Changing World. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: 
      Pearson Education Inc, 2012. 54-55. Print.

Figures Works Cited

Figure 1
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/4369357/Global-warming-is-un-bear-able-for-polar-bears-stranded-on-ice.html November 30, 2014 

Figure 2 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4269921.stm November 30, 2014