SU environmental law expert: Kyoto Protocol is ‘nice first step, made more complex’ by U.S. withdrawal

SU environmental law expert: Kyoto Protocol is ‘nice first step, made more complex’ by U.S. withdrawalFebruary 16, 2005Jaime Winne Alvarez jlwinne@syr.edu

Note to editor: Professor Driesen is available to provide expert commentary at (315) 443-4218 or ddriesen@law.syr.edu.

David Driesen, an environmental law expert in the Syracuse University College of Law, says the Kyoto Protocol is a “nice first step to addressing climate change.” The Kyoto Protocol, a global warming pact, takes effect today.

Says Driesen, “The Kyoto Protocol represents an important step in the evolution of the climate change regime, an evolution made more complex by the United States’ withdrawal from the pact. The U.S. withdrawal made the protocol’s entry into force doubtful for a while, but Russia supplied the needed final ratification, which allowed it to go into effect.”

However, Driesen also points out that good design of the European emissions trading regime is essential to making this first step meaningful.

Driesen is a graduate of the Yale Law School with extensive experience in implementing environmental law. He is author of the book “The Economic Dynamics of Environmental Law” (MIT Press, 2003), which won the Lynton Keith Caldwell Award.