Kyoto’s Not Dead Yet

A senior advisor to Russia's President Putin, Andrei Illarionov, declared this week that Russia was never going to sign on the Kyoto Protocol that aims to limit greenhouse gases. Fortunately for the treaty, Illarionov does not have the final word, and Putin himself has indicated that Russia would be willing to ratify. It seems likely that the Russians are hesitating on Kyoto out of the desire for funds, says this article in the Economist. Originally, the US was going to "buy" Russia's extra emissions quota, but with the withdrawal of the US from the treaty, Moscow has also lost its biggest customer. Russia instead is turning to the EU in the hopes that EU nations are so desperate for the treaty they will offer other economic incentives to Russia to sign on. Until it does, Kyoto can not be implemented, as 55 nations are required to ratify the protocol before it takes effect. – YaleGlobal