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Show DAILY HERALD Wednesday, December X 2003 AS Putin aide rules out Russian ratification of Kyoto accord Steve Gutterman , THt ASSOCIATED PRESS MOSCOW Russia wont ratify the Kyoto Protocd limiting greenhouse gas emissions because it will hurt the country's economy, a top Kremlin official said Tuesday. It appeared to be a mortal blow to the accord aimed at halting , global warming. The United States rejected the accord for the same reason. Without Russia, it cannot come into effect even if approved by every other nation. The pollution cuts required by the treaty would slow the economic growth that President Vladimir Turin has made a major priority, said top adviser Andrei Illarionov. "In its current form, the Kyoto Protocol places significant limitations on the economic growth of Russia," Illarionov told reporters in the Kremlin on the sidelines of Putin's meeting with European business leaders. "Of course, in its current form this protocol cant be ratified." Earlier this fall, Putin cast deep doubts on Moscow's willingness to ratify the protocol, but he had not ruled it out entirely. A Russian Economics Ministry spokesman, Konstantin Bogdanov, told Dow Jones News Wires on Tuesday he was unaware of any change in Russia's official position, which has been that it is still considering the protocol , However, Illarionov said it would be unfair for Russia to curb emissions and stymie its own growth while the United . States and other nations, which account for the bulk of global emissions, refuse to join the pact. Putin laid out Russia's objections in what Illarionov called a "very energetic" discussion with the European industrial leaders. The Kyoto Protocol, signed by most of the world's nations two months ago indicated the at a conference in Japan in 1997, sets targets for countries to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which are seen as a key factor behind global warming. To take effect, the pact re-- i quires ratification by a minimum of 55 countries, which must include the industrialized nations that accounted for at least 55 percent of that group's carbon dioxide emissions in post-Sovi- 1990. So far, industrialized nations that have signed on account for 442percentof the 1990 emis- sions. Russia accounts for 17.4 percent, so its ratification would push the group over the top. Attention focused on Russia after the Bush administration announced it would not ratify what it called a flawed pact that would unfairly harm the U.S. economy. Russian officials initially suggested Russia would ratify it, but remarks by Putin and Illarionov at a climate-chang- e conference in Moscow . global treaty. Steven Guflbeault of Green- peace said Illarionov 's remarks appeared to be a political comment" ahead of Sunday's elections for the State Duma, Rus-sia- 's lower house of parliament Philip Clapp, president of the National Environmental Trust, an advocacy group based in Washington, also mentioned the elections and pointed out that Illarionov has been one of Russia's strongest critics of the protocol. opposite. Putin has called for the doubling of Russia's gross domestic product by 2010 a goal officials fear might conflict with the Kyoto Protocol, which would require the Kremlin to overhaul Russian industries to cut emissions. Russia's emissions have fallen by 32 percent smce 1990 amid industrial meltthe down, but they have slowly started to rise with the economic revival of the past five years. Putin puzzled his audience at the Moscow conference this fall by remarking that Russians could spend less on warm coats" if the country warmed up by a few degrees, while Illarionov questioned the pact's feasibility and scientific foundation. At a climate change conference that began Monday in Milan, Italy, the news from Russia left participants pondering strategies in the absence of a et i FALL Andrew Dampf Global warmTURIN, Italy ing is threatening the world's snowfall altitude to between 4,900 feet and 6,000 feet, Buerk said. g "In Switzerland, several resorts are already having problems getting bank loans," he said. One likely casualty of the melting snow is the scenic Austrian village of Kitzbuhel Buerk said. The village is 2,493 feet above sea level and will eventually be cut off from its ski low-lyin- to rise FURNACE SPECIALS! Special Offers. x 4 ing for ways to "minimize economic risk," with plans includv ' ing new hiking trails that can be years. used in summer and winter, as The director of Kitzbuhel's tourism office was not immediwell as convention centers. Buerk, the economic geogra- ately available for comment, but. other ski resort areas expressed pher, said artificial snow is not concern. the answer. "The main reason is it's too "We see this as a long-terthreat," said Eduardo Zwissig, expensive," he said, explaining that it costs $600,000 in installamarketing manager of the uption fees and $60,000 each year scale Swiss resort at Gstaad, level and which is at 3,465-fofor each mile of artificial snow. "And if it's warmer than (freezhas skiing from 4,950 to 9,900 feet. ing), it requires a lot of energy," Buerk added. He said authorities are look is expected v Get Ready For .The Cold Weather, We've Got U.N. details disastrous wanning effects on slti resorts THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Clapp speculated that Moscow might be jockeying for more favorable terms when rules are worked out for a mechanism under which countries that are under emissions target levels can sell credits to nations that still need to reduce. Putin and other officials often make fiery comments meant largely to show Russians that the Kremlin is standing firm against foreign pressure, but the Kyoto Protocol is not seen as a key issue for Russian voters, by 656 to 984 teet over the next 30 to 50 ski resorts, with melting at low-- , er altitudes forcing the sport to move higher and higher up mountains, according to a United Nations study released Tuesday. Downhill skiing could disappear altogether at some resorts, while at others, a retreating slopes. snow line will cut off base vilThat's because, according to the report, Austria's snow line lages from their ski runs as soon as 2030, warned the report by the U.N. Environment Program. "Climate change is happening now. We can measure it," said Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the UN. program. "This study shows that it is not just the developing world that will suffer." The report focused on ski resorts in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, the United States and Canada, using temperature forecasts produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a body of some 2,000 scientists. JW" The panel estimated temperatures will rise by a range of 2.5 degrees to 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 unless dramatic action is taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many scientists believe that carbon dioxide and other "greenhouse" gases trap heat in the atmosphere. "It appears clear that many resorts, particularly the traditional, lower altitude resorts of Europe, will be either unable to operate as a result of lack of snow or will face additional g, costs including artificial that may render them uneconomic," the report said. UN. officials presented their findings at an environmental conference of the International Olympic Committee, or IOC, hosted by organizers for the Turin 2006 Olympics. The findings prompted Pal Schmitt, head of the committee's Sport and Environment Commission, to say that global warming will "probably affect how the IOC chooses host cities for future Winter Games." Schmitt said the IOC still prefers new candidate cities, but it may be forced to return to sites of recent games to avoid having to bufld structures that , could be obsolete in the hear future. The magic number for ski re sorts right now is an altitude of 4,265 feet, according to Rolf vintage filigree set in Buerk, an economic geographer at the University of Zurich who led the research behind the report. At that level and above, there is reliable snowfall In the future, however, global warming is going to push the regular 1 KO INTEREST NO PAYMENTS FOR 6 BOOTHS Orem ot X ff - i i , & Air Conditioning "Quality Service At A Fair Price" 225-708- 8 Springville 489-708- OHD-- 1 CD 8 WWWXWTMfXOin i r Heating ' " X'. - . I "k X i -- yh 'AaV i v!iK"-- v 4' 1 is snow-makin- f fVV'J l''' AtsS! .JljfeJ CfZrWi r ' RfAf ,3 P 18W gold over "willi Diamond Accented NS i -- X 1 Choose from genuine RUBY, SAPPHIRE or EMERALD slide pendants accented with diamonds. A classic look set in 18kt gold or platinum ever sterling silver. jL' wv5r? 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