Friday, November 07, 2008 Peña: Obama's Climate Change plan By Rox Peña E-ssue
ALL eyes are on President-Elect of the United States, Barack Obama. Of particular interest to environmentalists is his environmental agenda especially on the issue of climate Change.
It is a sad fact that the United States, a big emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG), did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol though it signed on November 12, 1998.
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). It sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012.
The Clinton Administration did not submit the Protocol to the US Senate for ratification while the Bush administration rejected it and instead proposed a plan with incentives for US businesses to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions 4.5 percent by 2010.
If the US will ratify the Kyoto Protocol, it would commit to a target of reducing greenhouse gases by 7 percent below 1990 levels during a "commitment period" between 2008 to 2012.
Developing countries like the Philippines are not legally bound to reduce GHG emissions. We signed the Kyoto Protocol on April 15, 1998 and our Senate ratified it on November 22, 2003.
Browsing through Obama's platform of government, I did not see a specific commitment to finally ratify Kyoto Protocol. But he did promise to reduce carbon emissions by the amount scientists say is necessary: 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
He committed to start reducing emissions immediately by establishing strong annual reduction targets and promised to implement a mandate of reducing emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
The 44th President of the world's most powerful nation wants to make his country a leader in combating climate change around the world. He says his administration would re-engage with the UNFCCC and will work constructively within it.
To complement the Kyoto Protocol, Obama wants to create a New Forum of Largest Greenhouse Gas Emitters, which includes all G-8 members plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.
These countries are the largest energy-consuming nations from both the developed and developing world. The group would focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues.
For non-G-8 members, Obama wants to be a big brother. He wants to transfer American technology to the developing world to fight climate change.
A Technology Transfer Program will export climate-friendly technologies, including green buildings, clean coal and advanced automobiles, to developing countries to help them combat climate change.
Let's see if the first Black President of the US will be true to his commitments to the environment.
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Congratulations to the winners and all the finalists of the 2nd Aslag Kapampangan Song Writing Contest which was held at SM Pampanga last November 2.
My heartfelt thanks to the organizers for choosing environment as the theme for this year's competition. The songs will surely increase environmental awareness among Kapampangans.
