Discuss the Pros and Cons of Restricting Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Recent years have shown an increased interest on the part of Interest Groups to curb carbon dioxide emissions as some evidence points to this as a significant contributing factor to global warming. Other businesses, interest groups, and lobbyists have campaigned against any legislation that would restrict emissions to include the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations. Discuss the pros and cons of restricting carbon dioxide emissions. State your opinion as to whether the U.S. should support regulation such as the Kyoto Protocol or cap-and-trade systems for reducing emissions.

Discuss the pros and cons of restricting carbon dioxide emissions.

Some of the pros, or good things to think about when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions and restricting them are; "Global warming has been occurring since 1910. Many of the most recent years have been the warmest on record;" "Historical data stored in ice samples taken from glaciers, show a strong relationship between rising CO2 and rising earth temperatures. ;" & "The documented shrinking of many old mountain glaciers is proof the earth's climate is warming. ;"(Earthguide). Not knowing the full effects that increased CO2 emissions has on our world and its many environments should prompt us to limit the emissions, at least until there is a better knowledge of all of the effects it has.

On the other hand we have the con side, or at least the side that says 'we do not need to limit these emissions.' To that I point out a few of the cons or arguments against; "Since the industrial age started, the average global temperature rise has been a little over 1oF. That amount of temperature rise has not caused any noticeable problems.;" "The climate has always been changing. Pictures of retreating mountain glaciers are not proof of global warming. They have increased in size and retreated many times before man.;" & "There are studies that show that there is a strong relationship between glacial periods and periods of reduced solar radiation on the upper northern hemisphere due to the wobble of the earth's axis and variations in the earth's slightly elliptical orbit. This can be confirmed on the NOAA website." (Dr. Christy) So in short the con side would tell people to do their best and adapt to the changes because of such an uncertainty about the emissions of CO2 causing damages on the environment. So people should just see how the evolution of what humans have done goes, and not try and prevent anything if there is not knowledge that proves there is harm being done.

State your opinion as to whether the U.S. should support regulation such as the Kyoto Protocol or cap-and-trade systems for reducing emissions

I believe that the US should ratify their treaty to not just ending in 2012. I think that the Kyoto Protocol is