Do U.S. Emissions Violate Human Rights?

Northern Canadian Residents Tell Panel That Carbon Emissions Destroy Health And Property

(AP)  Northern Canadians told an international commission Thursday that carbon emissions from the United States have contributed so much to global warming that they should be considered a human rights violation.

One activist said temperatures have climbed so much that Arctic residents need air conditioners.

The case was pressed by the Inuit community before the 34-nation Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. In a petition, the group asked the commission's assistance "in obtaining relief" from the impact of global warming, and makes specific reference to the United States as the country most responsible for the phenomenon.

However, the commission lacks the legal authority to compel the United States to take action.

Sheila Watt-Cloutier, an Inuit activist, said the well-being of her people is under threat — and that the need for air conditioning is just one example of the spread of global warming.

Climate change, she said is "destroying our right to life, health property and means of subsistence," she said. "States that do not recognize these impacts and take action violate our human rights."

She said ice formations are much more likely to detach from land and take unsuspecting hunters out to sea, where they face an uncertain fate.

Beyond that, she said hunters can no longer be sure of ice thickness and whether it is safe to travel.

"Many hunters have been killed or seriously injured after falling through ice that was traditionally known to be safe," she said.

The United States did not respond to the Inuit claims before the commission, an arm of the Organization of American States. The Bush administration has said it is taking steps to reduce global warming, but domestic and international critics say it is not doing enough, given that the United States is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

Scientists generally agree the Arctic is the first place on Earth to be affected by rising global temperatures. They say that unless developed nations such as the United States — responsible for one-fourth of world's greenhouse gases — do not dramatically reduce their emissions within the next 15 years, the Arctic ice likely will melt by the end of the century.

The Inuit population hails from Canada, Russia and Greenland, as well as Alaska, where they are known as Eskimos. They have been trying to tell the world for more than a decade about the shifting winds and thinning ice that have damaged the hunting grounds the Northern peoples have used for thousands of years.

Watt-Cloutier was nominated with former Vice President Al Gore for a Nobel Peace Prize for their work on climate change.

[Syndicate]

People are dying in Darfur and they want to *** because they need air conditioners. Well I guess you would have to freeze the igloo from the inside to keep it from melting.

[triassic-2009]

Not sure about the human right violation.

But clearly, all countries should be responsible for damages caused by their actions. And that includes the emission of greenhouse gases.

[us_infidel]

Oh PLEASE!!!!! The Chinese dirty more air than 3 Americas do every day. If the Canucks feel like whining, tell them to go whine at China. They won't though because they lack the nads to do so.

[triassic-2009]

US_Infidel:

Yes, China must also be held to account.

[wonitidaer]

I believe this is valid case. Soon global warming will impact food supplies, clean water, and safe breathing air. Pollution will pile up on a global scale, and *all* of our human rights will be violated. But as long as *our* rights aren't being violated right now, as long as we don't see a tangible impact of global warming and excessive pollution nobody will do anything to help. I suppose that's where it sucks to be an American. The effect manufacturing and modern life has on the environment should be included in the equation of GNP. What good are high stock values if everyone on the planet is starving and unhappy?

America thinks cutting back on emissions is bad for the economy. Maybe, but it will be a short term thing. What effect will lack of food, fresh water, and fuel do to the economy? I suppose as long as we stay in the black...

[v_1618]

of course carbon emissions from the United States and china are violating the human rights around the world and the United States and China shows as the countries most responsible for the phenomenon.
they are the most responsible for hurricanes and the ecological disasters in the world and is growing very fast and killing a lot of species and people. The american life style with material cars is no positive in short words . the materialistic empire of the United States and Europe are killing the earth very fast.

[dmadrone]

Why are the Inuit referred to by a term like "activists"? Words are important and powerful, and in the US "activist" has negative connotations. These are citizens who are watching while another country ruins their land and injures or kills their people.

Some Inuit in Alaska have already had to move their villages because of thawing soils.

[skyk-2009]

Oh PLEASE!!!!! The Chinese dirty more air than 3 Americas do every day. If the Canucks feel like whining, tell them to go whine at China. They won't though because they lack the nads to do so.
Posted by US_Infidel at 04:01 PM : Mar 01, 2007

Okay, China is guilty too. WHAT is you're point? You fascist think all you have to do to relieve any responsibility is focus insults and blame on others? LOL WE are not responsible for China but we DO HAVE control over the US. What do you think China will say when you go knocking on their door when we have taken NO action?

[tuckerndfw]

Industrial pollution is little different than a nuclear bomb or the release of deadly bio-chem weapons.

The end result is that it kills people.

Regardless whether "global warming" is caused by human activity or otherwise, there is no question that industrial pollution is caused by humans. And, until recently, the vast majority of industrial pollution was caused by the US and Europe.

Global industrial corporations, including those who finance them, are equivalent to war criminals. They have murdered hundreds of millions of people. And, have yet to be brought to account for their crimes.

[triassic-2009]

The United States generates about twice the amount of CO2 that China does. That is why the focus is on us...

[bildooreilly]

First of all I don't endorse pollution, but even if there wasn't a single human on this planet those ice caps are going to melt, and I think they'll be gone by 2012, meanwhile we've had one of the worst winters in years here in the midwest, so much for global warming. Fact is the sun and the planet are constantly changing, and I believe the entire planet was thrown out of wack when they had the big earthquake tsunami in southeast asia a couple years ago.

It's all right in the bible, we're living through right now what is known as the end times, the beginning and the end. This is the end of the age of Pisces, and the beginning of the age of Aquarius which begun in in the year 2000 I believe. The bible says:

Revelation 21:6 (King James Version)
6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Well if you go look up a picture of Aquarius, he's shown as a man with a jug of water, the water of life, the mayans calendar shows the end as Dec. 24th 2012, those ice caps will be gone by then.

[Syndicate]

I hope WE get the credit when the US starts rolling out the green technologies that will save this dirt ball. But I know better we'll get all the blame and none of the credit.

Don't rice fields produce tons of methane? Any stats for chinas methane production.

[triassic-2009]

bildooreilly:

Do you really believe all that stuff in your post?

[olgreyghost]

So can the Viking settlers of Greenland (it was once much more greener than it is now because it was warmer than it is now) sue for reparations because most of them died out during "The Little Ice Age?" And if so, do they sue the planet or just jump in with everyone else and blame the U.S.? Will the Inuits be happy if the U.S. Federal government just issues an apology in a century or two?

[bildooreilly]

You don't have to believe it, I could care less what you believe, just sit back and watch it all happen. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire planet flipped upside down by 2012... go read about the earths magnetic field weakening, and the magnetic pole moving, big changes are coming. This planet doesn't stay exactly the same, it's constantly changing, we orbit the sun, the sun orbits the milky way, we're just one big living space ship.




--------------------------------
bildooreilly:

Do you really believe all that stuff in your post?


Posted by triassic at 06:53 PM : Mar 01, 2007
+ report this comment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[triassic-2009]

bildooreilly:

You didn't answer the question. Do YOU believe it?

[acauble1]

It starts with choice we make.

Choices like what to drive, how much and how far we go to recycle, etc.

Large SUVs are NEVER needed in the low lands/valleys where there is little or no snow during the winter.

There should be gas guzzler taxes on SUVs that get less than 18 mpg (in the city) as there is on standard cars. Sure it's your choice to drive what you want, but if you're going to be irresponsible about it, then you need to pay for your irresponsibility!

(That's for starters)

[nothappyatall]

"Many hunters have been killed or seriously injured after falling through ice that was traditionally known to be safe," she said. "

GOOD, I don't care- payback! maybe it will stop the inhumane practices of seal clubbing and the wholescale slaughter of animals for furs and other luxuries. Time to adapt, put up and then shut up because the US is only a part of it, China and others are growing hugely and the US won't be extorted by some extremists wanting cash out of us.

[hawksprings]

And here it is. Since Algore claimed Global Warming is a "Moral Issue" we're going to see more and more calls for the punishment of people (preferrably Americans) for living their lives.

[jimfinster]

HawkSprings:

Maybe you can explain why it is NOT a moral issue?

[hawksprings]

First of all, Algore is making the claim, so he and his followers need to make the case for it.

But I'll go with it for a minute:

If Algore REALLY believes it's a 'moral issue' then he wouldn't live like he lives in an energy-hog mansion consuming 10 times the typical American homeowner does.

If this is a 'moral issue' then Algore is incredibly immoral for his hypocrisy.

And don't give me the partyline garbage about how he 'offsets' his 'carbon footprint' elsewhere while he tells us peasants to reduce our consumption.

If it's a 'moral' issue, then tell me:
How is what Algore does in his personal life any different from the pastor in Colorado Springs who preached against homosexuality while at the same time having a secret gay affair?

.

[rheola-2009]

For goodness sake, forget about the politics and the politicians.

The world is in trouble, and all some fools can do is debate whether Al Gore uses to much energy or not.

We all use to much energy.

To many listen to the energy company paid so called scientists, check out their credentials, the majority are failed scientists, who can only get an income by being the agents of propaganda for the vested interests.

Open your eyes, look at what is happening around the world.

[urbanblue]

The problem is that you cannot rationalize with the environmental radicals because every issue is hysteria, in which no contrarian debates are allowed; obviously, the science is %u201Csettled%u201D. When this type of approach is taken, no rationale solutions can be derived. The left is not interested in the environment, only in stifling debate. The conclusions of the IPCC are far, far from being settled, but every spineless salivating politician is now seeing dollar signs from all the potential taxes they feel they are now morally obligated to collect, in the name of the environment. There is a distinction between environmental issues and Global warming. But you would be hard-pressed to identify that nuance among the press, or the many governments and institutions all jumping on the GW bandwagon. It would be naive to believe that altruism is the only motivating factor for theses parties, i.e. international governments whose only interest is in Uncle Sam dispensing out checks, every time an American turns on the lights, or the willingness of many scientists to compromise their scientific integrity, by issuing hyperbolic statements about the peril of the planet that they know to be BS and borderline absurd.

[urbanblue]

We want to seek cleaner alternate energy sources- I%u2019m all for that! But this religious fervency, with which the left has framed this issue, is morally repugnant, and bordering on McCarthyism. It is unfortunate that this brand of fear fanaticism has spread to the masses of people, whose unfortunate circumstances in life are now given a new focal point for their disenfranchisement. It is especially vile when the message is intended to magnify the fears of children, who are the most vulnerable to this propaganda. Because the majority of people cannot or are not inclined to delve in the specifics of the science, we are left to the mercies of mercenary scientists, who are paid handsome sums of grant money to perpetrate the climatological status quo%u201D. Many are not even aware, that the IPCC report has downgraded their original assertions from the catastrophic scenarios originally espoused, to the more moderate predictions, which really should cause one to wonder- OK- what is the fuss all about? More and more, there is published data from other sources, other than IPCC, which show evidence that the causes of the warming have been incorrectly assigned toward humans. Again, do not count on the many members of the fourth estate to highlight these contradictions, since they are both lazy and complicit in the misdirection.

[urbanblue]

The way the argument is framed, rather obnoxiously I would say, is %u201CHow can you not accept that the earth is warming?%u201D Well, the argument should be positioned to ask %u201CHow can you not accept that earth is ever dynamic?%u201D It is apparent to most scientists by now, that the claims from that ridiculous Gore movie, are way over the top, and most, sheepishly shy away from the outlandish claims made by Mr. Gore. He will perhaps find a better audience among the mis-informed pop culture icons and their worshipers. The unfortunate part of all of this, is that legitimate environmental concerns will not be properly addressed, while solutions to non-existent problems are approached with the typical politically correct demagoguery of the few, with no consideration of the consequences, intended or otherwise, to the lives of the billions of inhabitants of this planet. America is complicit in this hyperbole, by acquiescing to the diatribes of the more radicalized factions of greenies, bent on stifling scientific debate, and feeding the hysteria with messianic overtones. Our politicians are totally gutless, and adverse to any position, regardless of principles, that will make them appear as though they are questioning the tenants of AGW. The greenies and the radical left have succeeded in shaping the argument to make it seem that debating AGW is akin to questioning the purity of mom, apple pie, or the loyalty of a fine dog. Long Live Political correctness.

[us_infidel]

Mars Melt Hints at Solar, Not Human, Cause for Warming, Scientist Says
Kate Ravilious
for National Geographic News

February 28, 2007
Simultaneous warming on Earth and Mars suggests that our planet's recent climate changes have a natural%u2014and not a human- induced%u2014cause, according to one scientist's controversial theory.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070228-mars-warming.html

All you 'man-made global warming' ALgore robots better wake up!

[humanmonster]

First things first.

The Inuits and all "native Americans" must answer for THEIR crimes against humanity. Amongst other things, when their ancesters violently invaded the continent they utterly destroyed the megafauna that peacefully resided here in eco-balance with the environment for tens of millions of years.

Have you seen any mammoths or saber tooth cats recently? No, of course not and it was the brutal and unreasoning hatred of these murderous people that caused this irreplaceable loss that was part of the natural design and bio-legacy of this planet.

I see no valid "statute of limitations" on these crimes and consider the current native American populations as answerable for this unspeakable slaughter and species genocide that has forever impoverished our diverse biosphere. Even today the Inuits freely admit to their ongoing program of mass extinction and nobody stops them or cares.

I am deeply offended by the Inuit's cultural insensitivity to this crime against us all. I also do not think that the cynical purchase of "carbon offsets" by the Inuits will make up for their crimes.

Also, the illegal invading Inuits and other "native Asians" unwillingness to create "greenhouse gases" led to the global cooling that allowed the invasion across the Bering Straight ice bridge to begin with.

The only answer is to haul the Inuits and all native Americans before the world court and made to pay for all of this.

[lars008-2009]

Very little is known of the Canadian country since it is rarely visited by anyone but the Queen and illiterate sport fishermen. 'General George Patton'

Canadian Leader Says Bush Responsible for Coming Intergalactic War
http://www.theconservativevoice.com/articles/article.html?id=10253
UFO%u2019s are real and Bush is trying to start a galactic war
http://www.qando.net/details.aspx?Entry=2990
Former Canadian Minister Of Defence Asks Canadian Parliament To Hold Hearings On Relations With Alien "Et" Civilizations

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb314382.htm

he%u2019s backkkkkkkkkkkk lol
UFO science key to halting climate change: former Canadian defense minister
OTTAWA (AFP) - A former Canadian defense minister is demanding governments worldwide disclose and use secret alien technologies obtained in alleged UFO crashes to stem climate change, a local paper said Wednesday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070228/wl_canada_afp/canadaenvironmentkyoto_070228180440

[Syndicate]

I wonder if an inuit has ever burned anything? Driven a car, Snow mobile? Used a chainsaw or electricity?

IF so then its a little Fcuked up to blame us when thier just as guilty.

[olgreyghost]

This story shows the truth behind the "Human Caused/Human Solved" Global Warming argument - the quest for power over people. Can't convince people to willingly give you more power over their lives? Tell them the "sky is falling" and you have an umbrella that will save them from catastrophe. It worked for the "War on Terror" and the "War on (some) Drugs" and look how many innocent people have been killed in those catastrophes...

[grazinggoat]

I wonder if an inuit has ever burned anything? Driven a car, Snow mobile? Used a chainsaw or electricity?

IF so then its a little Fcuked up to blame us when thier just as guilty.
Posted by cbscrash07

-Crash you don't live in New-Orleans, LA, do you?
such an ******!

[rf35]

Insanity! They act as if they are the only people who are being affected by global warming. So is the US supposed to pay every person on the planet? Even assuming global warming is caused by human activity, then the Intuits apparently have a claim against everyone who has ever released any greenhouse gas. Not to mention methane-producing cattle, sheep, and plants! Go sue a tree!!

I do believe the US (and every other country) should take steps to clean up its act. Even if global warming has nothing to do with human activity, renewable energy and an end to oil dependency is a goal worth pursuing vigorously.

[lwilli201]

Has anyone mentioned that China is pumping C**p into the air at an enormous rate. They don't have any enforcable laws against polluters. What is happening in China makes the USA look ultra green.

[mnelsonix]

) MMVII The Associated Press. There is something wrong with these "Journalists."

I guess I violate human rights every time I break wind!! And that's often.

These writers are insane.

[mnelsonix]

Willie...You are so right about China and other developing nations. What Krapp!!!

[musty2u]

This makes me want to go out and burn tires this weekend just to watch the black smoke curl into the cloudless sky.

[hawksprings]

OlGreyGhost is right on.
The Global Warming Hysteria is about Power and Control over people.

Then Algore goes and says it's a 'moral issue' implying that if you dissagree with him you are immoral. While at the same time Algore's mansion and other homes he owns use multiple times the global warming energy the typical American uses.

But he's part of the Liberal Elite, so he and his kind are excused from the restrictions, laws and taxes he would impose on us.

.

[lars008-2009]

Is islam a violation of international law???

islam practices slavery on non muslims
islam practices apartheid on non muslims
islam practices rape on non muslims
islam practices rape on babies and animals
islam practices genocide on non muslims

all are violations of international law and are crimes against humanity

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/22/world/main2505445.shtml
Imam Khomeini - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
http://www.homa.org/Details.asp?ContentID=2137352826&TOCID=2083225445
Malaysia women 'suffer apartheid'
The daughter of Malaysia's former prime minister has launched a scathing attack on the roles and status of Muslim women in the country.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4784784.stm
A matter of tolerance
http://musingwithmarinamahathir.blogspot.com/2006/12/matter-of-tolerance.html
Marina Mahathir
http://musingwithmarinamahathir.blogspot.com/

[lars008-2009]

Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison: You American haters bore me to tears, Ms. Barham. I've dealt with Europeans all my life. I know all about us parvenus from the States who come over here and race around your old Cathedral towns with our cameras and Coca-cola bottles... Brawl in your pubs, paw at your women, and act like we own the world. We over-tip, we talk too loud, we think we can buy anything with a Hershey bar. I've had Germans and Italians tell me how politically ingenuous we are, and perhaps so. But we haven't managed a Hitler or a Mussolini yet. I've had Frenchmen call me a savage because I only took half an hour for lunch. Hell, Ms. Barham, the only reason the French take two hours for lunch is because the service in their restaurants is lousy. The most tedious lot are you British. We crass Americans didn't introduce war into your little island. This war, Ms. Barham to which we Americans are so insensitive, is the result of 2,000 years of European greed, barbarism, superstition, and stupidity. Don't blame it on our Coca-cola bottles. Europe was a growing brothel long before we came to town.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057840/quotes

[dconine2000]

The Chinese pollution is coming from our money which was used to buy our old factories and is used to make that pollution while manufacturing cr-p we don't even need.

If you want Change, keep it in your pocket. Your dollar represents the resources we are stealing from our children.

[atwabn]

The day we all agree that global warming is being caused by man is the day that science, and the scientific method dies. I am suprised that the animal rights people are not on here going nuts. The hunters fell through the ice? Hunters? What were they hunting? Baby seals? Maybe "global warming" insert sarcasm is a good thing. Now maybe the Eskimos can grow soy so they can stop butchering the innocent little baby seals. One word summarizes this article....ridiculous.