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Spain a far cry from complying with Kyoto Treaty (an understatement)
Achieving the goals of the Kyoto Treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is nowhere more difficult than Spain according to two studies released Wednesday, which reported that emissions last year were about 46 percent above levels in 1990. During the first quarter of 2005, the reports added, emissions rose to levels 50 percent higher than in 1990, according to studies by the CC OO labor union and by WorldWatch.According to the international treaty, which took effect this year, Spanish levels should increase by only 15 percent over the 1990 figure between 2008 and 2012. "Last year was a bad hydraulic year," said José Santamarta of WorldWatch. "Hydroelectric production was 23 percent less than in 2003, and as a result carbon and gas plants were running for more hours. During the first quarter of this year, hydroelectric power was 40 percent less than in 2004." In Spain, electricity companies emit the majority of greenhouse gases - about 78 percent of the total. The agriculture industries account for 11 percent of all emissions. What, nobody drives cars? Last year, the Socialist government launched a national plan, known as the PNA, to reduce emissions to 24 percent over 1990 levels. "The PNA is heading in the right direction... But the Industry Ministry maintains an energy policy based on the past," said JoaquÃn Nieto from CC OO union. "The government's policies are contradictory, and will be unable to achieve compliance with the Kyoto Treaty," he added. 50% is a hellofa miss. Posted by: phil_b 2005-05-07 |
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