Despite Russia’s recent decision to sign up to Kyoto (a decision only taken as a result of EU bullying and bribery) Putin’s economic adviser, Andrei Illarionov, does not seem altogether impressed by Al Gore’s favourite treaty:
“The Kyoto protocol requires a supranational bureaucratic monster in charge of rationing emissions and, therefore, economic activities. The Kyotoist system of quota allocation, mandatory restrictions and harsh penalties will be a sort of international Gosplan, a system to rival the former Soviet Union’s. The majority of humankind does not accept this system, despite claims of worldwide support. Even with Russia’s ratification, 75 per cent of the world’s CO2 is emitted by, 68 per cent of the world’s GDP is produced in, and 89 per cent of the world’s population live in countries that are not handcuffed by Kyoto’s restrictions. Like fascism and communism, Kyotoism is an attack on basic human freedoms behind a smokescreen of propaganda. Like those ideologies of human hatred, it will be exposed and defeated.”
Wise words, and the welcome arrival of a splendid, if vaguely Bolshevik-sounding, new insult: “Kyotoism.”
A noun, and an adjective (“Kyotoist”), to savour. Thanks, Andrei!