Why doesn't the U.S. sign the 1997 Kyoto Protocol?

Answer 1

Because we would piss off the lobbying companies who pledge millions of dollars into campaigns for the election of government officials who promise not to sign the bill. Besides that, because it would really effect our economy. Companies may have to lay off workers to accommodate for higher production costs and then the whole country would be in an uproar.

Answer 2

Because the Kyoto Protocol was flawed from day one by not including India or China in the mix. IF you look at the US, yes they are a large polluter, but they are going up in very small percentages each year. China and India are in a boom, and their pollution under Kyoto is going up is double digit percentages each year with no signs of stopping. While the US would and is enforcing low emmission standards on many industries, the growing China and India economies are without similar standards and in fact pollute more then similar industries in teh US. Also, many European nations signed on because during the mid 90's they shut down many coal fired plants, which in doing so allowed them to reach the Kyoto targets with little or no work. Finally the Kyoto accord was basically pushed through on bad math and questionable science. The science behind the Kyoto accord was never scrutinized by the peers, but taken as the truth. When the science was finally proven wrong in some aspects, no one care, but then again, trying to predict the environment in the future is nothing more then a giant guess!! (remember these were the same peopl in the 70's and 80's warning us of the coming ice-age!!)

Answer 3

It depends upon who you ask.

A person with more liberal leanings might say that that it's the companies most responsible for pollution lobby to keep the U.S. out of the Kyoto agreement. Conservatives would likely point out that the treaty amounts to little more than wealth redistribution, with nations like the U.S. having to purchase credits from non-pollution nations in order to remain competative with emerging free market economies like China.

It matters little which is true. One's political leanings typically dictate which version seems true. The crux is that once we sign a treaty, we have an obligation that can become an issue if we, the United States, decide that we don't feel the arrangement is fair at a later date.

Answer 4

It's about the money.

Millions of tons of crap DAILY into the atmosphere is nothing to sneeze at. Pun intended.

We are screwing ourselves over for a buck.
Shooting ourselves in the herd.
Stepping on our own ducks.
Cutting off our nose to spite our finch.
Kicking ourselves in the aardvark.

For the almighty dollar, we're ruining it for everybody and everything, and people who can't accept it are three fries short of a Happy Meal.
Have a nice day.

Answer 5

Because Exxon/Mobil told Bush not to.