Part of U.S. complying with Kyoto accords

Though the United States doesn't participate in the Kyoto protocol, a study indicates about one-quarter of the nation is complying with the Kyoto accords.

A report published in the Nov. 17 issue of the journal Nature indicates one-quarter of the U.S. population lives in states, counties or cities that have adopted climate change policies similar to those of the global initiative.

If regions classified as "probable" and "possible" adopters that have pledged to reduce emissions are included, more than one-third of the U.S. population lives in such areas, say co-authors Brendan Fisher and Robert Costanza of the University of Vermont.

Together, those regions contribute up to half of the U.S. gross domestic product, equivalent of 16.9 percent of global GDP. That's a slightly larger share than Japan, the world's second largest economy.

The scientists say the United States produces 24 percent of worldwide greenhouse-gas emissions.

Copyright 2005 by United Press International