Denmark Ratifies Kyoto Global Warming Treaty

Denmark`s parliament yesterday ratified the 1997 Kyoto Treaty on global warming by a sizeable majority.

In the 179-seat house, 88 voted for ratification, nine against with three abstentions. The remaining 79 members of parliament were absent for the vote.

The Kyoto Treaty is designed to fight global warming by limiting industrial nations emissions of "greenhouse gases" such as carbon dioxide. The treaty requires nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least five percent from 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012.

Denmark is the first European Union country to ratify the Kyoto treaty.

The U.S. Bush administration in March effectively abandoned the treaty, with President George W. Bush citing concerns that it did not apply to developing nations and saying that it would weaken the U.S. economy.

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