The Bush Sr. administration was hesitant to sign the Kyoto Protocol because they believed that the reduction of emissions would cost the U.S. a lot of money especially in energy-intensive sectors. Also the U.S. have a concern that developing countries would not be up held to the same standards which would put the U.S. in disadvantage. “American leaders, particularly in the executive branch, feared the economic consequences of mandatory emissions targets and were reluctant to commit to international agreements that lacked enforceability” (Howe). Besides, climate science was still emerging, so the U.S. didn’t see the urgent need to take action right away.
The reason the U.S. resists international agreement is because of the fear of job loss or the higher costs that will come in fossil fuel and manufacturing areas. And the fact that the agreement requires more from developing countries than developing countries and the U.S. wants the same standards for every country. The U.S. doesn’t want other countries to influence domestic policies. “American negotiators often found themselves behind the curve of international consensus… constrained by domestic politics and ideological suspicion of global governance” (Howe) And climate change is a polarized issue in the U.S. which creates a political division making it harder to get into agreement.
Will Wright 