Flawed compromise

A treaty to tackle global warming, a phenomenon that if unchecked will result in coastal towns and cities across the world disappearing under rising sea levels before the century is out, has finally been agreed after several years of tortuous negotiations.

Unfortunately, the treaty agreed by 178 nations in Bonn, Germany, is unlikely to have much of an impact on the gradual warming of the Earth's atmosphere caused by industrial activity. It is a compromise document and, as compromises often tend to be, it is fatally flawed.

For one thing, the United States, the world's largest producer of global-warming gases, has refused to sign. Also, the provisions of the treaty have been so watered down from what was originally proposed, that there are serious doubts over how effective they will be in slowing global warming. For example, while the earlier proposals called on signatories to reduce their emissions of six gases by 5.2 percent below 1990 levels over an 11-year period, the new treaty only requires a two per cent reduction.

Many scientists believe that the cuts that are required to make a serious dent on global warming are more in the range of 50 per cent.

If this were not enough, the absence of the United States' signature will be devastating. While the rest of the industrial world will be gradually trying to claw back its emissions, the United States will in 10 years time be emitting an estimated 30 percent more greenhouse gases than it was in 1990.

The little good news that the treaty holds is that a US$500 million a year fund will help finance greener technologies in developing countries. But clearly this is not enough. In the interests of future generations, it is important that the United States takes a fresh look at the treaty.

-- The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong