Protected land as percentage of total land area: 26% (14% partially protected)

CO₂ emissions trend: 20.5 tonnes per capita

ENVIRONMENTAL TREATIES

		Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Washington DC, 1973		yes
		Convention on Biological Diversity Earth Summit in Rio, 1992		no
		1992 Amendment to protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer (amendment to Montreal Protocol) Copenhagen, 1992		yes
		Kyoto Convention on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Earth Summit in Kyoto, 1997		no
		Basel convention on the dumping of hazardous wastes (Basel) Basel, 1989		no
		Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) Ramsar, Iran 1971		yes

The US lags far behind other Western countries on environmental issues. The international commitment made at the 1997 Kyoto conference on cutting carbon dioxide emissions was scrapped by President Bush in 2001. The Rockies are a battleground between those who want to maintain their beauty, and those who advocate "wise use" – in practice this often means giving ranchers and miners free rein; in 2002, Congress approved plans to dump nuclear waste in Mt. Yucca, Nevada. Similar issues surround the arguments over extending oil drilling in the Alaskan wilderness. The US is leading the field in genetically modified (GM) food. Huge acreages have been planted with GM cereals, and by 2004 over 80% of soybean production was GM. A consumer backlash, especially in Europe, has worried many farmers.

From "The Financial Times World Desk Reference" © Dorling Kindersley 2004