Rada Ratifies Kyoto Protocol On Limitation Of Emissions To Environment.
The Verkhovna Rada had ratified the Kyoto protocol on limitation and reduction of the emission of the greenhouse effect gases into the atmosphere, following which the country commits to limit emissions of harmful substances to the atmosphere. 242 MPs voted for approval of this decision with a minimum of 226 necessary. According to the protocol, Ukraine commits to limit emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The Minister of Environmental Protection Serhii Poliakov, while presenting in the Rada the draft law "On Ratification of Kyoto Protocol in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change," made a statement that the level of emission of carbon dioxide for Ukraine is set at the level reached at 1990. In his words, as the volume of industrial emission in Ukraine has significantly reduced since than, Ukraine got a change to make use of its surpluses and quotas. "We can attract up to USD 1.5 million of investments," Poliakov noted. He made a statement that if these funds are invested into industrial modernization, Ukraine would be able to ensure a possibility of development, and reduce emissions to the atmosphere. MPs Yurii Karmazin, Mykola Rudkovskyi and Andrii Shkil opposed the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol. In their opinion, the protocol imposes limitations upon possibilities of growth of gross domestic product in general and industrial output in particular. At the same time they noted that the protocol envisages introduction of sanctions for non-fulfillment of conditions of the agreement. In 2003, Japan and the European Union called for the soonest possible ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the Rada. The Protocol to the United Nations framework convention on climate change is an international agreement between Europe, Japan and Canada, under which countries undertake to reduce the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The US and Russia still haven't ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
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