Kyoto protocol comes into play from today

Rejected by the United States, the world’s plan to combat global warming goes into force on Wednesday amid scant fanfare and UN warnings that it is only a tiny first step.

The 141-nation Kyoto protocol aims to brake a rise in temperatures widely blamed on mounting emissions of heat-trapping gases that may trigger droughts and floods, raise sea levels and wipe out thousands of species by 2100. Yet even some backers of the pact, which will be feted on Wednesday mainly in the city of Kyoto where it was signed in 1997, seem to be lacking enthusiasm.

Many nations, including Spain, Portugal and Ireland, are far above targets for cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases. Britain is in a legal dispute with the European Commission over London’s easing of goals for industry and Italy is fretting about costs. And the UN says it will be a long, hard slog.