Physics Project

Kyoto Accords and political remedies to alternative

energy and global warming

Kyoto Protocol

An international environmental treaty made at the Earth Summit that was intended to stabilize greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to prevent human interference with the climate.

Kyoto establishes legally binding commitments for the reduction of four greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride produced by industrialized nations.

Goal

Industrialized countries agreed to reduce their collective GHG emissions by 5.2%

compared to the year 1990.

Kyoto Protocol • The United States signed Kyoto, but the

signature means nothing until the Senate ratifies the treaty.

• The Clinton administration would not act upon the protocol until there was participation by the developing nations

• In 1988, the Energy Information Administration (EIA), predicted losses to GDP of between 1.0% and 4.2% by 2010

• Exemption for China (now the world’s largest gross emitter of carbon dioxide)

• Too much stress on economy

• Not enough research• Should be entire world

effort, not just industrialized countries

President Bush did not submit the treaty because…

• Heads of government from all the superpowers met to outline a successor to the protocol.

• This new global cap and trade system would apply to both industrialized and non-industrialized countries.

What’s next?

• These nations aimed to cut global carbon dioxide emissions by half.

• They also talked about energy efficiency and how to alternative ways cut carbon emissions.

Alternative Energy

Obama Stimulus

• A tenth of the $787 billion will be allotted to environmental endeavors.

• $6 billion in loan guarantees for renewable energy projects.

• 67,000 job creations in the solar energy sector this year and a total of 119,000 jobs over the next two years.

Obama Stimulus cont…

• New 30% tax credit for equipment and facilities that produce renewable energy-generating materials, such as solar panels.

• Taxpayers will be able to redeem solar investment tax credits

• $2.5 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy research.

• Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $41.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for fuel cell technology.

This will help to expand the use of clean and renewable energy sources and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.

• President Obama Announces $2.4 Billion for Electric Vehicles

• The President's goal is to put one million plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road by 2015

• responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety

• energy conservation, energy-related research, radioactive waste disposal, and domestic energy production.

• sponsors more basic and applied scientific research than any other US federal agency

Initiatives by the DOE• Biomass Research & Development

Initiative --> coordinate and accelerate all Federal biobased products and bioenergy research and development.

• Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum --> an international climate change initiative focused on development of improved cost-effective technologies for the separation and capture of carbon dioxide for its transport and long-term safe storage. ( includes 21 member nations, with the Department as the lead U.S. representative)

• Clean Energy Initiative -->seeks to provide millions of people in the developing world with access to affordable and efficient energy services.

• Climate VISION --> reducing greenhouse gas intensity