Jeroen wrote:
> Don't worry, we'll make the US pay. We'll just have to put extra import
> tariffs on goods from the US, and charge extra for anything the US wants to
> buy from Europe's industries.
But that's the whole point of the US pullout - enough countries won't ratify or
enforce this in the world that anyone who does enforce it is going to need to do
exactly what you describe. So when United Airlines goes to replace jets, Airbus
Industrie is uncompetitive because it and all its suppliers have to charge extra
to cover the cost of compliance, but Boeing doesn't. Then when KLM goes to
upgrade, Boeing is cheaper, so they put an import tariff on US goods to bring
Airbus back into play - what's happenned? KLM pays extra either way, and Airbus
isn't selling as many planes outside Europe.
This will happen in every industry where some players are complying with Kyoto
and some aren't, bringing serious disadvantage to any country who enforces it.
That means less money in the budget for education, welfare, environment, and
health.
If everyone was confident that all the signatories would ratify and enforce the
provisions, there'd be a lot more negotiating going on.
Let's just hope there's a new proposal soon including things like carbon sinks
and credits trading so that everyone can participate.
Russell Chapman
Brisbane Australia
