The Collapse of Kyoto

The Australian reports:

JOHN Howard claims he has been vindicated over his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol after business groups in New Zealand and Germany demanded their countries quit the agreement as soon as possible and join the Asia-Pacific climate pact.

A coalition of 22,000 New Zealand businesses, under the auspices of the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and Industry, called on both parties in the New Zealand election to start talks on pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol by 2008 - the earliest possible date to do so.

The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, organized last month by the Bush administration brings the US, Australia, China, India, Japan, and South Korea together in a joint effort to develop and apply new clean air technologies. It represents an alternative to the coercive aspects of the Kyoto accord which neither the US nor Australia has signed and which does not include India and China. If Germany and New Zealand jump on board Kyoto will be doomed.

Read it here.