http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/Article...?hub=topstories
Bush rejects Kyoto-style deal ahead of G-8 meet
CTV.ca News Staff
Ahead of a meeting with leaders of the world's most powerful nations, U.S. President George Bush has made it clear he's not about to budge on the issue of climate change.
In an interview to be broadcast on Britain's ITV Monday evening, Bush admits that global warming is "a significant, long-term issue," but stresses he will not sign any agreement that even resembles the 1997 UN Kyoto Protocol.
The so-called Kyoto accord, which takes effect in February, calls for a global 5.2 per cent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2012.
The U.S. has refused to sign on, however, citing concerns that adhering to its strict emissions limits would imperil their economy.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has made no secret of his hope of announcing a new Kyoto-style at the summit of G-8 leaders in Gleneagles, Scotland later this week.
But in his interview with ITV's Tonight With Trevor McDonald, Bush made it clear his position on a deal to curb global warming hasn't changed.
"The Kyoto treaty would have wrecked our economy, if I can be blunt," he said, promising to keep rejecting any similar deals in the future.
"If this looks like Kyoto, the answer is no," he said.
Bush also brushed aside the suggestion his support on climate change would be political payback for Tony Blair's support of the unpopular war in Iraq.
"Tony Blair made decisions on what he thought was best for keeping the peace and winning the war on terror, as I did," Bush said.
"So I go to the G-8 not really trying to make him look bad or good, but I go to the G-8 with an agenda that I think is best for our country."
But the president conceded he may be nevertheless willing to soften his position, as he described climate change as "a significant, long-term issue that we've got to deal with."
When asked whether he believes climate change is man-made, Bush offered an uncharacteristic response.
"To a certain extent it is, obviously," he said. "I mean, if fossil fuels create greenhouse gases, we're burning fossil fuel, as is a lot of other countries."
Noting his country's investment in such clean energy technologies as sequestration of carbon dioxide, hydrogen-powered cars and zero emission power stations, Bush said he is still holding out for other G8 leaders to "move beyond the Kyoto debate."
Bush said he would be willing to sit down with any nations willing "to come together and share technologies and develop technologies ... and spend money on research and development, just like the United States is, to help us diversify away from fossil fuels."
The other G-8 nations -- Britain, Canada , France, Germany, Japan, Italy and Russia -- have all signed on to the Kyoto protocol.
Complaining not only of its high costs, but also of its exclusion of developing nations, Bush pulled out of the deal in 2001.
On that issue, Bush said he hopes to make some progress this week.
"Some of the discussions we're going to have at the G-8 ... is to work with India and China as to how to share technology with them, so that we can all work together to clean up the environment, and at the same time have sustained economic growth."
In addition to Chinese and Indian leaders, officials from Mexico, Brazil and South Africa have also been invited attend the three-day G-8 summit in Gleneagles.
Full Version: Bush Rejects Kyoto-Style Deal Ahead Of G-8 Meet...
Common Ground Common Sense > Issues that Affect Our Lives > Energy Independence, Environment, Science and Technology > Energy, Environment, Science and Technology Issues Archive
When Clinton said 'It's the economy, stupid.' He was talking about getting elected, right? Mr Bush thinks it is important to have a healthy economy despite the fact that it will destroy the planet if we don't make some drastic changes asap. It may be too late anyway. All the fundamentalists who believe that Jesus is coming tomorrow or at any rate sometime soon, will not be caring about the next century that the scientists are concerned about. If they are wrong they will be dead by the time the world is in deep trouble. I am amazed at their lack of concern for what history will say about them, what their own descendants will think of them.
Have we discussed Bush's position about reducing green house gasses since the G-8 summit and Blair's statement about the U.S. holding up the discussion?
Our president isn't going to change on many of his pre-held ideas. Will there be any progress in Global Warming talks here in America, or will the War on Terror and Iraq overshadow everything else? The future looks bleak guys!
KT
********************************************************************
Shaken G-8 issues Africa, climate pledges
Further climate talks
The leaders failed to overcome stiff resistance from Bush to launching a more aggressive attack on global warming.
"If it is impossible to bring America into the consensus on climate change we will never ensure the huge emerging economies like China and India ... are part of the dialogue," Blair said Friday. Blair added that Russia has agreed to make climate change a major priority when it takes over the G-8 presidency next year.
Describing the agreement on climate change, Blair said merely that the plan of action “will initiate a new dialogue” between the summit countries and leaders from developing nations who also met with them.
The G-8 leaders agreed to start a new dialogue to “slow down and then in time to reverse the rise in harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” Blair said, adding that those talks would happen in Britain on Nov. 1.
The United States, the only G-8 country that has not ratified the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on global warming, was successful in rejecting Blair’s call for setting specific targets and a timetable for reducing greenhouse emissions.
The communique acknowledged the split between the United States and the other countries in a section that said “those of us who have ratified the Kyoto Protocol, welcome its entry into force and will work to make it a success.” That was the document’s only mention of the treaty put into effect last February.
Bush contends the Kyoto accord’s curbs on greenhouse emissions would wreck the U.S. economy.
The document did also state that “while uncertainty remains in our understanding of climate science, we know enough to act now.” French President Jacques Chirac called that compromise language a “visible, real evolution” in the American position.
Our president isn't going to change on many of his pre-held ideas. Will there be any progress in Global Warming talks here in America, or will the War on Terror and Iraq overshadow everything else? The future looks bleak guys!
KT
********************************************************************
Shaken G-8 issues Africa, climate pledges
Further climate talks
The leaders failed to overcome stiff resistance from Bush to launching a more aggressive attack on global warming.
"If it is impossible to bring America into the consensus on climate change we will never ensure the huge emerging economies like China and India ... are part of the dialogue," Blair said Friday. Blair added that Russia has agreed to make climate change a major priority when it takes over the G-8 presidency next year.
Describing the agreement on climate change, Blair said merely that the plan of action “will initiate a new dialogue” between the summit countries and leaders from developing nations who also met with them.
The G-8 leaders agreed to start a new dialogue to “slow down and then in time to reverse the rise in harmful greenhouse gas emissions,” Blair said, adding that those talks would happen in Britain on Nov. 1.
The United States, the only G-8 country that has not ratified the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on global warming, was successful in rejecting Blair’s call for setting specific targets and a timetable for reducing greenhouse emissions.
The communique acknowledged the split between the United States and the other countries in a section that said “those of us who have ratified the Kyoto Protocol, welcome its entry into force and will work to make it a success.” That was the document’s only mention of the treaty put into effect last February.
Bush contends the Kyoto accord’s curbs on greenhouse emissions would wreck the U.S. economy.
The document did also state that “while uncertainty remains in our understanding of climate science, we know enough to act now.” French President Jacques Chirac called that compromise language a “visible, real evolution” in the American position.
I fear that this issue will be ignored and forgotten. Americans don't care. Buy those gas hogs and have fun with the rising cost of gas!
KT
http://sierraclub.org/globalwarming/
Feature: The White House White-Wash on Global Warming
The Government Accountability Project has charged that a White House official who previously worked for the oil industry's lobby group repeatedly edited and altered government climate reports in a way that downplays links between global warming and greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. Philip Cooney, chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, made changes to descriptions of climate research that had already been approved by government scientists and their supervisors, the newspaper said, citing internal documents. Mr. Cooney has no scientific training.
This Bush administration has a long history of white-washing the science behind global warming. In 2003, the Bush administration deleted passages from an Environmental Protection Agency Report that identified global warming as a threat to the environment and public health. Additionally, the White House also put hazy, confusing language in place of the original conclusions in a National Academy of Sciences study that showed how human activities are driving global warming.
Click here to read more about this story
Click here to read more about the 2003 EPA report
Feature: Curbing Global Warming with Clean Cars
The technology exists to stop global warming, spark economic growth and save consumers money. If we required auto makers to make clean cars and light trucks that averaged 40 mpg, we would save more oil than we currently import from the Persian Gulf, and we'd curb emissions of the heat-trapping gases that cause global warming.
Overview on Global Warming and Energy.
News: Global Warming and Energy Issues
June 22, 2005: MSNBC
Over Fears of Cost and Safety, Bush Promotes Nuclear Power
June 16, 2005 Washington Post
U.S. Pressure Weakens G-8 Climate Plan
June 8, 2005: New York Times
Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming
More articles in our news archive.
KT
http://sierraclub.org/globalwarming/
Feature: The White House White-Wash on Global Warming
The Government Accountability Project has charged that a White House official who previously worked for the oil industry's lobby group repeatedly edited and altered government climate reports in a way that downplays links between global warming and greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. Philip Cooney, chief of staff for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, made changes to descriptions of climate research that had already been approved by government scientists and their supervisors, the newspaper said, citing internal documents. Mr. Cooney has no scientific training.
This Bush administration has a long history of white-washing the science behind global warming. In 2003, the Bush administration deleted passages from an Environmental Protection Agency Report that identified global warming as a threat to the environment and public health. Additionally, the White House also put hazy, confusing language in place of the original conclusions in a National Academy of Sciences study that showed how human activities are driving global warming.
Click here to read more about this story
Click here to read more about the 2003 EPA report
Feature: Curbing Global Warming with Clean Cars
The technology exists to stop global warming, spark economic growth and save consumers money. If we required auto makers to make clean cars and light trucks that averaged 40 mpg, we would save more oil than we currently import from the Persian Gulf, and we'd curb emissions of the heat-trapping gases that cause global warming.
Overview on Global Warming and Energy.
News: Global Warming and Energy Issues
June 22, 2005: MSNBC
Over Fears of Cost and Safety, Bush Promotes Nuclear Power
June 16, 2005 Washington Post
U.S. Pressure Weakens G-8 Climate Plan
June 8, 2005: New York Times
Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming
More articles in our news archive.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.