What is the Kyoto Treaty

A. The Kyoto Protocol is an international climate treaty to halt climate change. Under the agreement, the developed countries of the world�are to commit to reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other green house gases by�five to seven per cent below 1990 levels, by 2012. Vice President Al Gore signed the treaty on behalf of America in 1997.

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Q.� Why has President Bush reneged on the Treaty

A.� A White House spokesperson said: 'The President is unequivocal. He does not support the treaty. It is not in the United States' economic best interest.'

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Q. How have other countries�reacted to this news

A. Bush has been condemned by other countries that are keeping to the terms of the treaty and politicians from around the world have flown out to Washington in the hope of getting him to change his mind.

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Some countries have even threatened to introduce trade sanctions against the US, if it fails to commit to cut emissions of dangerous gases. One leading environmental activist said: 'Bush had put two fingers up to the rest of the world.' While an even more graphic statement came from one of the world's smallest nations, the Micronesian islands of

Kiribati, which said it would drown in the rising waters of the Pacific Ocean unless global warming was stopped.

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Q. Will the US's withdrawal make the treaty unworkable

A.�Well most of the other countries involved are still committing to doing their bit, but America, which makes up only 4% of the world population, is said to produce 25% of the world's greenhouse gases. Without US support, moves to cut down the�environmentally destructive gases will be seriously impeded.

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There are also fears that Bush's move could persuade other countries to pull out.�And, Bush's decision will make it harder to get India and China and other developing countries to cut their pollution levels. The European Union is still commited to ratifying the treaty by 2002.

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Q. What strain would measures to reduce greenhouse gases put on the US economy

A. America's gas and coal-powered energy industries are responsible for most of the county's pollution. Bush claims that making these industries greener�within a relatively short space of time would put a huge strain on the US economy at a time when it is on the edge of recession.

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Q. So is America going to give up on saving the environment altogether

A. No. Bush defended his decision, but added: 'We'll be working with our allies to reduce greenhouse gas, but I will not accept anything that will harm our economy and hurt our workers. We have an energy shortage.'

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By Anna Tobin

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