In a recent column Mark Steyn laid out some interesting, and perhaps surprising, numbers regarding greenhouse emissions:
From 1997 when the Kyoto treaty was signed until 2004 greenhouse emissions worldwide increased 18%. Countries which signed the treaty increased their emissions 21%. Emissions from non-signers increased 10%. Emissions from the U.S. increased 6.6%.
What conclusions can we draw from this? Well, one seems to be that Kyoto would do little to nothing to curtail the continuing pollution of our atmosphere with greenhouse gases. The countries which signed it appear to be the most egregious flaunters of it. Second, those nations and individuals which castigate us for our refusal to sign on to Kyoto need to redirect their attention elsewhere. Otherwise, their outrage over the damage being done to our environment looks more like simple old-fashioned anti-Americanism than it does a genuine concern for global environmental degradation.
RLC