Representatives from more than a hundred countries met last week in Bonn to start mapping out what in cheesy euro-jargon is being called “The Kyoto architecture post-2012”. At the same time, Stavros Dimas, the European Commissioner for Environmental Policy, traveled to Washington to activate his plan to salvage this botched protocol. His idea is simple: persuade George Bush that it is in the United States´ best interest to sign Kyoto. According to Chris Horner in The Washington Times, Mr. Dimas is going to need something more than a miracle to pull off his goal. The protocol will not be saved in Washington.

The context for the Bonn meeting is as follows: Kyoto’s utter failure. Not for its dreadful economic consequences and invisible environmental benefits, about which Europe’s politicians are unconcerned and knew beforehand. The reason for the failure is that only 33 countries have committed to reducing emissions in agreement with the conditions laid out in the Kyoto Protocol and of these fewer still seem capable of complying with the conditions they signed. Spain, thanks to its citizens’ productivity, will not meet its obligations. 

“The circumstances for Spain to comply could not be worse”, said Spanish Environmental Policy Minister Cristina Narbona. At first glance, this recognition does not have much merit because Spain is about 45 percentage points above its 1990 levels and forecasts surpassing 65 points during its commitment period to Kyoto. Given Europe’s terrific failure, this will mean coming in a minimum of 73 points above what Article 4 requires of a member country. However, the change in the official version concerning the Spanish situation should be met with the same joy a passanger on a bus going up a mountain road with a blind driver would feel at the news the driver had miraculously recovered his sight. As incredible as it might seem, until a few weeks ago the Minister kept assuring everyone Spain was on track to meet its Kyoto obligations. Clearly, this government, apart from its renowned talante (good manners), has a peculiar sense of humor. Recovering its vision appears to have knocked some sense into the Ministry. Now Ms. Narbona says “the government is going to work to try to lower Kyoto’s bill” when only a couple of months earlier she was saying the cost would be inconsequential. Those of us who were never blind know this is going to keep the Minister quite busy. As a warm up, she could sit down and analyze how she is screwing up the energy sector –where the four main Spanish companies have had to pay out 45 million euros between January and March to buy emission rights.           

The Bonn meeting took place smack in the middle of this monumental disaster. Jürgen Trittin, German Environmental Policy Minister, played the macho man and champion of foolishness. Among other things, he claimed the system of rationing and trading emission rights “has proved a success” [Sic]. Trittin and the Red-Green Khmers believe they have seen proof of success in the uneasiness the Kyoto experiment is starting to stir in some of their weak-kneed comrades and many citizens far too used to Western standards of living and the fruits of the free market. So, without thinking twice, Trittin reaffirmed his eco-totalitarian platform and proposed nothing less than the Protocol, after 2012, impose restrictions up to seven times higher than the current ones. And let’s not forget: banning those who fail to comply in the first period from buying extra rights and fining them up to 30%.

What is the Spanish government going to do in this case? Take advantage of Kyoto’s clamorous breakdown and the data showing its devastating consequences to rescue us from this interventionist insanity that, let’s not forget, the conservative Popular Party got us into? Or will the current socialist administration finish us off by signing a new Protocol even more interventionist and harmful to man and his environment? We trust good sense will prevail and that on this occasion Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s sense of duty to his country will outshine that of his predecessor José María Aznar. If this is how things play out, I am sure he will find support from all of us who cherish freedom.