June 15 , 2004 — As Alan traveled around Alaska, he witnessed the effects of climate change. The scientists he met with are convinced they are on the frontlines of global warming. They're studying the problem and its impacts. Find out how governments are addressing the problem internationally, federally and at the state and local level.
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Actions such as mandatory limits on carbon dioxide emissions, renewable energy requirements for electricity generators and programs that sequester carbon from the atmosphere in forests and farmlands are all strong first steps to counter global warming. And all of them are happening right now in the United States, which might surprise you if all you've ever heard about global warming legislation is the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol is the international treaty that attempts to address the cross-border problem of climate change. It calls for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by about 5% below what they were in 1990. But not enough countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol to put it into force - and the most notable holdout is the United States. To go into effect, Kyoto must be ratified by countries representing 55% of 1990 emissions from industrialized nations. The U.S. is the world's largest emitter of manmade greenhouse gases; when the American government rejected the protocol, it made it very difficult to reach ratification. As one reason for renouncing Kyoto, President Bush cited the fact that developing countries - some, like China and India, with large greenhouse gas emissions - were not held to the same standards as developed countries. And he said meeting the Kyoto targets would have "a negative economic impact" on Americans.

This map depicts the countries that have ratified or signed the Kyoto Protocol as of June, 2003. Ratifying countries are indicated in green. Those countries that have signed, but not ratified the Kyoto Protocol are indicated in dotted yellow. Those countries that have neither signed nor ratified the agreement are depicted in red.

Even without American support, the international community has worked to push Kyoto into effect. As of the beginning of June 2004, countries accounting for 44% of 1990 emissions have ratified Kyoto. The last hope for the treaty is that Russia, with its 17% of 1990 emissions, will sign. Russia has recently reversed its earlier reluctance and said it plans to ratify. Depending on the speed with which Russia's parliament moves on this issue - if at all - the Kyoto protocol could go into effect as early as 2005.

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