Running head: NATURAL GAS AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

Increasing the Use of Natural Gas and the Kyoto Protocol

Pedro A. Perez
University of Utep

NATURAL GAS AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

Increasing the Use of Natural Gas and the Kyoto Protocol

Introduction
In the midst of the struggle to combat global warming and the resultant climate change is the
unprecedented increase in the amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. A greenhouse
gas denotes a gaseous compound in the atmosphere that has the capacity to absorb infrared
radiation, consequently trapping and holding heat. Hence, greenhouse gases lead to the
greenhouse effect because they increase the atmospheric heat. Hence, this paper analyzes
two different genres concerning their coverage concerning increasing the use of natural gas
to reduce greenhouse gases. Exxon Mobil will help sustain a better because the Kyoto
protocol requires Exxon to reduce greenhouse gases. The Wall Street Journal falls under the
typography genre. The article by Daniel Gilbert is titled Exxon, Shell Carbon Emissions
Rise Though Pumping Drops and implies that Exxon is finding it difficult to tap new
energy sources and that it should be excused for the continued greenhouse emissions. On the
other hand, CNN falls under the iconography genre. Its broadcast titled 'Brazen assault on
the EPA' implies that Exxon and other oil producing companies must strive to weaken the
powers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because regulating greenhouse
emissions is a costly venture.
Audience and Purpose
There have been concerted efforts to control the emission of greenhouse gases.
Essentially, the efforts have included numerous meetings and conferences with stakeholders and
the signing of several pacts. Unfortunately, all these efforts are yet to bear fruit as the problem
continues to compound. In addition, some states have not been kept their side of the bargain. On
the contrary, they have continued to emit gases into the atmosphere with abandon.

NATURAL GAS AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

critical analysis of the media coverage of the issue shows a certain lack of objectivity. In actual
sense, media houses cover news from slightly different angles to ensure the message fits the
target audience. Accusations of open bias are common as some people regard the rendition of the
message as skewed and calculated to hoodwink the public. On the other hand, some media
houses might harbor ulterior motives for adopting certain stands. They may cover news and
events from a certain angle to enable them to achieve predetermined objectives. Hence, the
reader must be critical when reading or watching news because what the media presents might
not be a true reflection of the situation on the ground. The paper will examine the coverage of
the issue by the Wall Street Journal and Cable News Network (CNN).
The Wall Street Journal contends that Exxon and other major oil producing companies
are tapping less oil than they used to do. However, the article argues that the cost of producing
oil has gone up tremendously over the last couple of years. In addition, the author asserts that the
projects used to produce the oil consume a significant amount of oil. The author cites cooling
natural gas to a liquid state and heating heavy oil as one of the projects that consume an
enormous amount of oil. For this reason, the article seems to suggest that Exxon is justified to
continue emitting greenhouse emissions because the alternative is costly. In addition, the author
wants readers to believe that the company is doing all it can to control greenhouse emissions.
The intended audience appears to be the drafters of the Kyoto Protocol who require
Exxon and other companies to limit their greenhouse emissions. The information presented in the
article aims to persuade the public to assume a certain standpoint. The article ties with the
audience because it tries to persuade readers to accept the authors viewpoints. The audience is
likely want to know efforts made by the company to control greenhouse emissions. The language
used by the author is formal and serious because it is intended to persuade the audience to adopt

NATURAL GAS AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

a specific standpoint. On the other hand, the CNN article is targeted at the government as it seeks
the powers of the Congress to strip EPA of its powers. The language is used is formal because it
is addressed to the government. The target audience is required or expected to realize EPAs
shortcomings. The main similarity between the two genres is their ability to tailor the message to
suit the target audience.
Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos and Logos
The Wall Street Journal article tries to establish the credibility of the information by
citing official company statistics that show a significant rise in the cost of drilling oil. In
addition, it tries to elicit an emotional response from the audience by showing that the company
could make losses if it had to adhere to the limits for greenhouse emissions. The article uses
established industry analysts to show the trend currently manifesting in the industry. For
instance, the article quotes an official of the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment to
show that a need exists for curbing carbon emissions but the costs are simply prohibitive
(Gilbert, 2014). Similarly, the author uses facts to show that Exxons production fell by 6.1% but
the emissions increased by 3.7% (Gilbert, 2014).
On the contrary, the CNN article tries to highlight the incompetence and incapacity of
EPA as a regulatory body. The article claims that EPA lacks the capacity to act as an industry
regulator and that another agency is required to carry out the mandate. The article uses plain but
persuasive language to pass across this information. It plays with the readers minds by
emphasizing the need to control carbon and greenhouse emissions. The evidence cited by the
article is the rising cases of greenhouse emissions despite the amount of investment in the EPA.
In essence, the article achieves this objective because it appeals to the minds of the reader. It also
quotes figures that show the rising greenhouse emissions as proof of the failure of the regulatory

NATURAL GAS AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

body. The main similarity between the two genres is the use of figures to reinforce the intended
message. They also both use quotes from the industry stakeholders to design and pass the
message.
Structure and Delivery
The Wall Street Journal article is more profound in terms of structure and delivery
because of the freedom print media accord the author. In addition, the author has the leeway to
design and deliver the message according to the target audience. In essence, the typography
genre has a considerable allowance for the writer to insert the message and elaborate as the
situation demands. In addition, the typography genre allows the author to insert pictorials and
images to enhance the presentation of the message. For example, the article has used a graph to
show the trends in the industry. It has also used a picture of an oil producing plant in Canada to
augment the text message. These elements help to make the message clearer because the reader
can refer to them any time he or she wishes. In addition, they help to arrest the readers interest
especially where they use color and attractive fonts. Similarly, they tend to depict the article as a
serious piece of research that has been carried out by people who are authorities in the field.
Hence, the design of the article makes the message appear poignant.
The CNN article or video interview does not have the luxury that print media affords
writers. As a result, the author has attempted to make it as brief as possible to fit the allocated
time. However, the video interview allows the authors to use still or moving video clips to
underline the message. Essentially, the importance of a media communication is to pass the main
message to the audience. It does not matter whether the message is designed to inform, educate
or persuade the audience to adopt a given stand. For this reason, one can say that the two genres

NATURAL GAS AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

have achieved the core objectives they set out to accomplish. The audience can identify with the
message with ease because of the communication features that have been included. The main
similarity between the two genres is the authors effective use of ethos, pathos and logos and the
manner the capture the audiences attention. For this reason, the authors have used different
approaches to state their points, but the delivery in both genres is effective.

NATURAL GAS AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

References
CNN. (2011). Brazen assault on the EPA . Video Interview
Gilbert, D. (2014). Exxon, Shell Carbon Emissions Rise Though Pumping Drops. Retrieved
February 25th, 2015, from Wall Street Journal: http://www.wsj.com/articles/exxon-shellcarbon-emissions-rise-though-pumping-drops-1413329329