Final answer:
The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which the U.S. did not ratify due to economic concerns and the lack of similar commitments from developing nations. Whether the U.S. should ratify it is debated, weighing the potential economic impact against the need for a global response to climate change.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement developed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The protocol, which was adopted in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, aimed to commit its parties to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change. Countries that ratified it, promised to limit their emissions according to specific targets, with the broader goal of reducing global warming and its related effects.
The United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol mainly because of concerns that it would harm the U.S. economy. This position was influenced heavily by the powerful fossil fuel industry. Additionally, there was the argument that as developing countries like China were not required to make similar emissions reductions, U.S. industries might be put at a competitive disadvantage. Whether the U.S. should ratify the Kyoto Protocol is a matter of debate. Some argue that, despite potential short-term economic impacts, the U.S. must take a leading role in addressing climate change to prevent long-term environmental and economic costs. Critics, on the other hand, believe that more tailored, economically viable solutions should be pursued that also include commitments from developing nations.