Do you think the U.S. needs to comply with the Kyoto protocol?
The News Leader - www.newsleader.com - Staunton, Va.
Kyoto Protocol Candidates in the U.S. House race answer the question: Do you think the U.S. needs to comply with the Kyoto protocol? (150 words)Bob Goodlatte
America has made great strides towards preserving our environment and has arguably the most comprehensive and protective environmental standards in the world, but more must be done. While, I agree we need to curtail global warming, I don’t think the Kyoto Protocol is the best way to reduce greenhouse gas.
The treaty is flawed in many ways. India and China, two of the world’s leading contributors of greenhouse gases, are exempt from the treaty, as are most countries. Additionally, the restraints aren’t realistic for many countries, and the goals are arbitrary.
While climate change is a complex issue, our economy is intrinsically linked to the availability and affordability of energy. Had America agreed to the treaty, the mandates would’ve caused a negative economic impact, causing loss of jobs and higher prices for consumers. I believe we need to encourage investment in environmentally sound, cost-effective practices without setting back our economy.
Andre Peery
Yes, we should at least try.
Barbara Pryor
YES
While I am angry at him for voting for the abominable Unlawfull Internet Gambling Act of 2006, he gets this mostly right. I am not a believer in so-called “global warming”. I don’t see how we can even make a guess at what the climate is doing when we barely have 100 years worth of climate data on record. Nobody knows what the earth’s cycles are in that much detail. The Kyoto protocol was an abomination and mostly an anti-America push by the EU.