Ultimately, if we really need to change trends in global warming we will need the US, China and India to ratify Kyoto. Period. End of discussion.
Thus, all DR can do is mitigate, compensate and prevent. In making the most of it, DR should be tapping into financial resources to create "sustainable development" projects (I know it's such a misnomer...what is sustainable development). Regardless, while DR could be farther ahead in this compared to where near by countries are in the process they do seem to not be totally asleep at the wheel. Here is a posting from yesterday's news:
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World Bank PCF funds open to DR
Environment Minister Max Puig says that the DR could sell certified emission reductions (CERs) under the Kyoto Protocol to industrialized countries that are signatories of the treaty, such as Japan, Canada and Germany. He said these could be used for sustainable development projects. Puig spoke on occasion of the start of the worldwide implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, which the DR signed in 2002. Puig explained that the DR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Canada and the World Bank to have access to the Prototype Carbon Fund (PCF). The fund establishes a partnership between 17 companies and six governments, managed by the World Bank. As the first carbon fund, its mission is to pioneer the market for project-based greenhouse gas emission reductions while promoting sustainable development and offering a learning-by-doing opportunity to its stakeholders.
Puig explained that through the PCF, the DR could carry out energy projects, including the capture of methane in garbage dumps for the generation of energy.
See
http://carbonfinance.org/pcf/Home_Main.cfm for examples of projects underway in other countries.
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty on global warming.
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But then again in the same news clip, it also announces that Leonel sat with Rainieri & Co. to plan the building of other resorts...so it makes me chuckle, since I doubt the it will be an ecotourist site. Then, again, maybe they'll surprise me.
I hope they do.
Best,
Deelt