Five students from the Claremont Colleges will join 200 US students in the Hague, Netherlands, to attempt to influence Kyoto Protocol Treaty negotiations. The Kyoto Protocol is a treaty designed to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses, which cause global warming. Greenpeace International, one of the biggest non-profit environmental groups in the world, is organizing and financing the presence of student activists at the treaty negotiations. The negotiations will take place between November 17 and 25.

"The United States has been such an antagonist on this issue lately," Scripps activist Ruth Cusick said. "I hope by going over there I can represent an American voice that isn't often heard."

Cusick will travel to the Netherlands with Pomona's Josh Tulkin '03, Andrew Cvitanovich '02, and Susan Caplow '02, and Pitzer's Abigail Singer. All five underwent a lengthy application process to secure their spots among the group that Greenpeace is subsidizing. Over 2,000 applications were received for the 200 spots available.

Before departing for the Netherlands, the five chosen students hope to raise five college awareness about global warming and the implications of the Kyoto Treaty.

"We've put a lot of effort into our lead-in campaign," said Tulkin. "We've been table tenting, having teach-ins, and we gathered over 1,000 postcards to take to the treaty so student voices will be heard."

The students have also issued a press release to local newspapers that sets out the specific problems they hope to address at the negotiations.

"There is concern that the US is putting loopholes in the treaty which could allow it to avoid cutting pollution, or even increase it," their press release states. "The US is pushing the idea of "carbon sinks" in which our trees could be counted as absorbing carbon dioxide. They would count new trees planted, but not the ones cut down.

They are also pushing for nuclear energy in the "clean development mechanism," an idea opposed by the European Union.

The US also wants to be able to buy unlimited pollution credit from other countries who have gone below their goal."

Greenpeace has informed the students of a number of activities they might be involved with while at the treaty negotiations.

"A lot of it will be interacting with media to get our point of view across," Capkas said. "There will also be direct action visibility, including protests. A webcam will also be broadcasting from the Netherlands."

Although Greenpeace is organizing the student activists and paying for the room and board while in the Netherlands, students will have to pay there own way to the Netherlands and back.

"It's definitely a sacrifice as far as money," Cusick said. "But there are ways to defray the cost, and besides, it is well worth it."

Negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol within the United Nations were completed December 11, 1997, committing industrialized nations to specified, legally binding reductions in emissions of six "greenhouse gases." It would commit the US to a target of reducing greenhouse gases by seven percent below 1990 levels during a "commitment period" between 2008-2012. Because of the way sinks, which remove these gases from the atmosphere, are counted and because of other provisions discussed in this report, the actual reduction of emissions within the United States required to meet the target is estimated to be lower than seven percent. The United States signed the Protocol on November 12, 1998.

The latest round of negotiations comes as the United States has taken steps that will delay the ratification of the treaty.

The Clinton Administration has indicated that until developing countries also make commitments to participate in greenhouse gas limitations, the protocol will not be submitted to the Senate for advice and consent. This sticking point has not been addressed formally since the 1998 signature of the Protocol. A deadline to resolve these issues was set for the Hague, Netherlands, during the November conference.

For US ratification, the treaty must be submitted to the Senate, with a two-thirds majority vote required for approval. If the United States does not ratify the treaty, it will not be subject to the terms and obligations.

President Clinton has voiced strong support for the Kyoto Protocol, though criticizing it for not including commitments for developing countries.

Several members of Congress who oppose the treaty on a number of grounds have criticized the US's signature. They cite questions about the scientific justification for the treaty, and express concern over the likely economic impacts that might occur if the United States were to attempt to meet its emission reduction commitments in the treaty.

Senate resolution 98, which passed 95-0, expressed opposition to a protocol that does not include requirements for emissions limitations by developing countries. After the passage of the Senate resolution, the President indicated that he will not submit the treaty to the Senate for advice and consent until meaningful developing country participation has been achieved.