Why is the US position on global warming so different from the rest of the world?

Question

"First Australia won international applause for abandoning the United States and signing a global warming pact Washington has long opposed. Then a U.S. Senate committee voted for deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

The Bush administration's position, that technology, private investment and economic growth — rather than mandatory emissions cuts — will save the planet from global warming, is taking a beating this week at a U.N. climate change conference in Indonesia.

The public defeats for the U.S. stance, coupled with mounting warnings from scientists and others that only decisive action will control rising temperatures, have cast the Americans as wayward sons who need to wake up and join the rest of the world."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071206/ap_on_re_as/bali_us_under_siege

Why do you think the US policy on global warming continues to differ so vastly from the rest of the world? Especially since global warming is supposedly a US liberal hoax?

So Jello - every other industrialized country in the world is more socialist than the USA?

You might want to re-think that one (or at least think about it for the first time).

Answer 1

First: IT IS THE POSTION OF THE US GOVERNMENT, NOT THE US CITIZENS.
Over 60% of US citizens support their country to unilaterally pledge to strong greenhouse gases emission reductions.

The US GOVERNMENT IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF:
- the majority of US scientists
- the majority of US corporates
- the majority of US citizens
- not even the majority of religious congregations

PS to Jelly:

Who is socialist and communist among the following supporting strong committed GHG cuts worldwide?
- Japanese conservatives?
- German conservatives?
- British conservatives?
- Scandinavian conservatives?
- French conservatives?
- McCain?
- Governor Schwarzenegger?
- 150 of the largest companies worldwide?
- the major reinsurance companies with their multi billion turnovers?

It seems it is ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF BACKWARDS CONSERVATIVES IN THE US which has a problem with cutting emissions.

Answer 2

If you look at U.S. history, our global warming policy is fairly consistent with many other global issues we have faced in the past. People from United States settled here to escape the economic, social and religious issues facing much of the Eastern hemisphere.

People from the U.S. are often isolationists, and feel that problems facing Europe are "their issues." Look at the two World Wars. In both cases, there were large portions of the population who staunchly opposed messing with a "European problem." Many people feel the same way about Iraq (see the Libertarians).

In the end, we're typically just late to the party, but we eventually show up, just like the World Wars. Let's hope that's the case with Global Warming.

Answer 3

It's a peculiar American parochialism.

It may have to do with the two party system. The electoral college forces us into an all or nothing proposition. Vote for a third party and you are throwing your vote away.

Perhaps something closer to a parliamentary form of government would allow for a more pluralistic policy to emerge from our congress.

Hamilton won out over Franklin and Jefferson and so we have our current system - the prevailing party speaks for everyone.

Answer 4

Just look at the leaders of our country! Aside from the President and VP from having numerous stakes in various oil and gas companies, they also have a lot of friends in the industry and need those political contributions to keep coming in.

Besides, Bush never changes his mind on anything. He came into his presidency with certain views on the environment, and he's not about to change them. Heck, he still think Iraq will be a successful democracy!

Answer 5

The US is the biggest user of energy in the world although China and India are rapidly catching up. Therefore people in the US will have to make the biggest changes to conserve energy and reduce CO2 emissions as your society and infrastructure have grown on the premise of cheap oil. Put simply a lot of people in the US see AGW as a challenge that will affect their way of life and don't want to change. This is an understandable point of view but that doesn't change the fact that warming is occurring.
It really has nothing to do with socialism, pinkos or any of the rest of the political spectrum despite how many attempt to stymie the debate with such slurs.

Answer 6

The US is afraid of the economic impact Kyoto will have on the country. I.e. the US government believes the economy will slow down if it takes measures to fight global warming. If the economy slows down, unemployment rises. Unhappy people are likely to show their discontent during elections...

Answer 7

First of all, of the 193 countries in the UN, only 32 countries have a Kyoto target.

There are plenty of developed countries that have gotten off the hook. None of the big oil producers for example are in the list, even though they seem to have pretty bad CO2 emissions because gasoline and electricity are so cheap in those countries that people there don't care much about conserving energy.

How the affected countries are doing depends on who you ask. The UN and the respective governments all say - they're on target. David Suzuki says most of them are way off target.

The US has always refused to accept UN jurisdiction over it's territories or citizens - refusing to be bound by Kyoto is consistent with that policy.

Answer 8

Actually, the scientific evidence is mounting against the alarmism of the IPCC crowd, but they choose to ignore the science.

The Bush Administration has finally embraced global warming and the need to do something about it. It is ironic that Bush became convinced of global warming just as the science seems to indicate it will not be catastrophic.

By "recent science" I am referring to the peer-reviewed papers by Schwartz, Spencer, Kiehl, McKitrick and others.

Answer 9

Prejudice, Arrogant Ego attitude and nothing else.

In the absence of major socialistic powers, US has no threat in any form, so they keep their head cool as of now.

Answer 10

I suspect that its because americans are complacent as well as oblivous to the rest of the world. They think that they are still a great world power. So the consequences of their wasteful lifestyle has no relevance.

They really don't care.

So the politicians are really just looking out for the interests of the big business that supply the americans constant needs for popular & fashionable consumer goods.
Americans are spoiled.

Answer 11

Because the US knows that if they listened to people like you it would not only damage the US economy it would more than likely plunge the entire world into a depression. The UN boondoggle is of little or no interest to US policy makers, they are more concerned about an upcoming election, as they should.