Economics professor and climate change researcher Jinhua Zhao

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The Kyoto Protocol, which is an agreement requiring nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, could be effective and affordable if every country participates and is held accountable, one MSU researcher says. But until that happens, a lack of participation from the major emitting countries combined with a lack of enforcement will make it impossible to be successful, said Jinhua Zhao, associate professor and an agricultural, food and resource economist.

"One thing that we have to recognize is that it is expensive to actually combat global warming. So we have to reduce our emissions and restrict our growth in certain areas," Zhao said. "There is cost related to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, so this is the first thing I want to emphasize. But however, on the other hand, the benefit or potential benefit of avoiding climate disasters is so big."

Making it internationally affordable to be "green" is one of the largest hurdles but getting everyone together in the same room to discuss the matter is half the battle, he said.