China, Russia also sign the Kyoto Treaty

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Popmartijn

Blue Crack Supplier
Joined
Jun 19, 2001
Messages
32,861
Location
Netherlands
Hello,

It has been a rumour for several weeks, but now the announcement has been made officially. China will ratify the Kyoto Treaty as will Russia. The ratification by China is more a symbolic one, as it is a development country and not bound by the treaty, but Russia will be. As Reuters says: "Russian ratification would, due a complex weighting system, virtually ensure the treaty on reducing greenhouse gas emissions could be implemented despite its rejection by the biggest air polluter, the United States. "
The Kyoto Treaty would only come into effect if 55% of the countries who contributed to 55% of the polution in 1990 would ratify it.

Although China's ratification is more a symbolic one, it is still encouraging. It means that it apparently cares about the environment and tries to do something about the polution it creates. Hopefully, they will stick to the treaty when they're not a development country anymore.

Anyway, some good news is coming from the Summit.

C ya!

Marty


[Edited because I wasn't finished at all!]
 
Last edited:
Popmartijn said:
As Reuters says: "Russian ratification would, due a complex weighting system, virtually ensure the treaty on reducing greenhouse gas emissions could be implemented despite its rejection by the biggest air polluter, the United States. "

I think it's interesting to look at a simple, truthful statement like this and be able to detect political bias within it. I think the fact that Reuter's chooses to juxtapose "biggest air polluter" next to the United States rather than just saying "despite its rejection by the US" is very telling of their political leanings. Though the characterization is true, when do they choose to add a phrase like this and when do they choose to omit it?

Similarly, if I were to describe an organization like Greenpeace, I could refer to the organization in many different ways. I could say that they are simply a non-profit organization. I could also say that they are "left-leaning" or that they are typically supported by environmental activists. I could add another comment about some of their more controversial activites. All of it would be factually correct, but what I decide to keep vs. omit clearly has an impact on how some readers will view this group.

I know that this is simply the practice of rhetoric, but does it appear obvious to anyone else who reads Reuter's reports frequently that the reports tend to use diction that favors the left-wing position more frequently?
 
Last edited:
Re: Re: China, Russia also sign the Kyoto Treaty

garibaldo said:
I know that this is simply the practice of rhetoric, but does it appear obvious to anyone else who reads Reuter's reports frequently that the reports tend to use diction that favors the left-wing position more frequently?

To be honest, I think whether we see a source as biased or not depends a lot on the opinions we hold already. I see news reports as having a right-wing bias more often because I'm looking at them from a left-wing perspective and I think the same is true for people looking at something from a right-wing perspective.
 
because as we all now American cars, factories etc produce non-harmful sweetly fragranced byproducts...
 
Back
Top Bottom