Kyoto Day One -- Without U.S. Participation.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, cell 202-487-0693,
mclarty@greens.org
Nancy Allen, Media Coordinator, 207-326-4576, nallen@acadia.net
GREENS MARK KYOTO DAY ONE, WITHOUT U.S. PARTICIPATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders today said
that the failure of the United States to participate in the Kyoto Accord
makes February 16, 2005 a 'day of shame' for the U.S. that will be noted
in history.
February 16 is the day that the Kyoto protocols to
curb greenhouse gases and global warming go into effect, 90 days after
Russia signed the agreement.
"President Bush and Congress' rejection of the
Kyoto Accord and of any meaningful action to reduce global warming
represents Junk Science in its most dangerous form: the substitution of
personal political agendas for overwhelming credible scientific
evidence," said Lorna Salzman, candidate for the Green Party's
presidential nomination in 2004, and environmental activist and writer
for nearly 40 years. "Of all issues facing the world today,
including the U.S., the effect ofglobal warming on public health, the
economy, food and water supplies, and biodiversity represents the most
serious terrorist threat we face -- and it is self-inflicted. When will
the media listen to the scientists and expose the lethal indifference of
our political leaders to the climate change tsunami that will hit us in
the coming decade?"
Greens have argued that the U.S. must sign on to the
Kyoto agreements, but also that the protocols must be strengthened to
reduce greenhouse gases beyond the original Kyoto goal of a 5% reduction
to 1991 levels, which Greens call severely inadequate.
Recent Green Party statements on the Kyoto protocols
and global warming:
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2005_01_04.html
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_10_25_04.html
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_07_22_04.html
Recent articles on evidence of a 10-year global warming timebomb and
current effects of global warming:
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=603975
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=604955
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=608209
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1324276,00.html
MORE INFORMATION:
The Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
