Why did US President Bush refuse to sign the Kyoto Protocol?
President Bush was under pressure from several different directions when he refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol. Number one, there was some legitimate concern that the Kyoto Protocol didn't provide a significant mechanism for engaging the developing countries like China which are now emitting, on the whole, about as much greenhouse gases as the developed or industrialised countries like the United States. That is a problem that needs to be solved. Number two, there was some less legitimate criticism that the Kyoto Protocol would hurt the US economy. There is no evidence that the cost of the Kyoto Protocol would have been significant or that it would have hurt the US economy. It would, however, have had some effect on some industries, like the oil and coal and auto industries, which fought it tooth and nail politically, and that pressure was brought to bear on the administration. I think that, rather than just picking up their marbles and going home, which is what the Bush administration did, if the Bush administration didn't like the developing country elements of the treaty it should have stayed, completed negotiations, and argued for additions to the treaty that would have made it more acceptable. In fact, the European countries have implemented Kyoto. It looks like Kyoto will be a success, and that's a good thing because it means emissions are lower than they would otherwise be globally. It will also give the US a chance to come back and, hopefully, lead the way in developing the second step; what's called the post Kyoto phase of greenhouse gas regulation.
