Originally Posted by jorgelito

I don't think the pollution numbers are in dispute. It's no secret we (US, major industrial countries) are huge consumers and polluters (producers of waste).

However, I think the main problem is that people believe the Kyoto Protocol would be economically debilitating. I disagree. It may produce an initial capitalization cost to correct factories etc but over the long run there should be better results. Additionally, by the same argument, I think China and India should most definitely participate as well as the two most populous and developing countries.

I actually think of it as an opportunity. As a leading country in technology and innovation, we could be exporting our expertise in helping China and India build "green" and "smart' facilities. Moreover, we can also invest or help them set up more enironmentally sound sources of energy. There is also an opportunity for Halliburtn here: I think they have some sort of haz-mat disposal or toxic clean up division. They can be busy for the next 2 decades cleaning up the environment all over the world. Perhaps we could see this as an ecoomic opportunity. China and India could be induced to investing in these environmentally friendly policies with cheap loan incentives from the World Bank or IMF (As developing countries they would qualify). The rest of us can further encourage responsible environmental policy further with favorable trade policies.

I dunno, something like that. I just don't think it's all doom and gloom.