Kyoto Protocol worthy, but inadequate

The intent of the Kyota Protocol is worthy of celebration, but as a document of action it is wholly inadequate.

In combating the essence of climate change, that is slowing or even stopping carbon dioxide emissions, the agreement misunderstands what is required.

The world is already locked into a two degree increase in global surface temperatures over pre-industrial times and at less than one degree, as is the case at present, the world society is witnessing a host of unprecedented weather events.

Conscious of those weather events, it is difficult to imagine just what the world will look like when two degrees becomes a reality and how the world society will cope.

It was noted today in an ABC story headed: “Australia to sign up to Kyoto phasetwo”, that some environmentalists saw the Kyoto targets as far too low and lacking both understanding (of the difficulty) and commitment (to resolve it).