UAE beats Americans' environmental harm

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer

When it comes to squandering the earth's natural resources, residents of this desert land of chilled swimming pools, monster 4x4s and air-conditioned malls are on a par with even the ravenous consumption of Americans, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

The average person in the Emirates puts more demand on the global ecosystem than any other, giving the country the world's largest per-capita "ecological footprint," WWF data shows. The United States runs second.

But the oil-rich Emirates is considered a developing country, and even as a signatory to the United Nations' Kyoto protocol on global warming, is not required to cut emissions. The United States is no longer bound by Kyoto, which the Bush administration rejected after taking office in 2001.

Even so, the Emirates government has been embarrassed by the WWF report, which it says is flawed. The federal environment agency is devising strategies to cut emissions, including a public campaign that may offer economic incentives to those who turn down their air conditioning, Saad al-Numairy, an adviser to agency, said Monday.

"We have an action plan," al-Numairy said. "But we are a multicultural country with 180 nationalities. It's not going to be easy."

Energy consumption in the Emirates runs high for many of the same reasons found in the United States: a feeling that the good life requires huge air-conditioned houses and cars, and a disdain for public transportation.

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On the Net:

WWF report: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/living_planet_report.pdf

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

steven, sure could use some of that global warming about now

it's 15 F here!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

steven, sure could use some of that global warming about now

it's 15 F here!

Move to UAE.

[peejay 327]

steven, sure could use some of that global warming about now

it's 15 F here!

Move to UAE.

or turn up the thermostat.

[Robor007 0]

By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer

"The average person in the Emirates puts more demand on the global ecosystem than any other, giving the country the world's largest per-capita "ecological footprint," WWF data shows. The United States runs second."

WooHoo! We're not the worst! We're not the worst!

Did anyone check out 'An Inconvenient Truth'? Very interesting if you haven't.

Edited January 16, 2007 by Robor007

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer

"The average person in the Emirates puts more demand on the global ecosystem than any other, giving the country the world's largest per-capita "ecological footprint," WWF data shows. The United States runs second."

WooHoo! We're not the worst! We're not the worst!

Did anyone check out 'An Inconvenient Truth'? Very interesting if you haven't.

Rob, I just recently watched a documentary I think you'd be interested in seeing - The Corporation. I belong to Netflix and watched it over the weekend.

[dalegg 143]

By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer

"The average person in the Emirates puts more demand on the global ecosystem than any other, giving the country the world's largest per-capita "ecological footprint," WWF data shows. The United States runs second."

WooHoo! We're not the worst! We're not the worst!

Did anyone check out 'An Inconvenient Truth'? Very interesting if you haven't.

I finally decided to watch that movie. It was pretty interesting but honestly Gore needed to keep the politics out of it. It was like he was basically blaming global warming on the fact that Bush won the 2000 election and not him. Every time they talked about politicians rejecting solutions they panned on a Republican. These are not good tactics if you are trying get people who are otherwise skeptical of you to look at the situation in an unbiased manner. Other than that I think he put it together pretty good. We're screwed.

Edited January 16, 2007 by dalegg

[mrc 0]

Steven, so when did you denounce your central air conditioning? You already used the "I live in SoCal" excuse for the car, so don't use that one again.

[Ban Hammer 13,336]

Steven, so when did you denounce your central air conditioning? You already used the "I live in SoCal" excuse for the car, so don't use that one again.

and get rid of the leather shoes and belt

[Alex+R 0]

LOL, that "you're against large-scale pollution, so therefore you should live in a hut with no electricity or running water" argument never gets old.

Also applies to "you are against x policy so why haven't you given all your money to the cause and moved in with your mother?"

[bob_bonner 0]

Pollution actually helps prevent global warming. If the atmosphere was clear of pollution, the earth would heat up much faster. Fewer particles in the air to absorb the sunlight means more solar energy hitting the ground.

Edited January 16, 2007 by bob_bonner

[Alex+R 0]

Pollution actually helps prevent global warming. If the atmosphere was clear of pollution, the earth

would heat up much faster. Fewer particles in the air to absorb the sunlight means more solar energy

hitting the ground.

That would be what you'd think with a rudimentary knowledge of the science. Luckily many people have a better understanding of the science than that.

[bob_bonner 0]

Pollution actually helps prevent global warming. If the atmosphere was clear of pollution, the earth

would heat up much faster. Fewer particles in the air to absorb the sunlight means more solar energy

hitting the ground.

That would be what you'd think with a rudimentary knowledge of the science. Luckily many people have a better understanding of the science than that.

It's a scientific fact. Ask any scientist. The greenhouse effect is partly masked by air pollution.

Edited January 16, 2007 by bob_bonner

[Alex+R 0]

"masks" or "helps prevent"

What are you trying to say? Either way I'm not sold.

[bob_bonner 0]

Masks the greenhouse effect. Prevents global warming.

The greenhouse effect is the absorption of energy by the atmosphere which is only partly responsible for making the planet warmer.

Of course, the real cause of global warming is the sun. To maintain a thermal equilibrium, the earth must radiate the same amount of energy back into space that it receives from the sun. There are basically two types of radiation, visible solar radiation and thermal infrared radiation. The former heats up the surface and the latter heats up the atmosphere. Air pollution reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching the surface.

Edited January 16, 2007 by bob_bonner