Another US Monkeywrench
Once again, the current US regime did its best to thwart any truly international agreement, this time in connection with the issue of global warming. The Montreal meeting did manage to get some work done, but only after the other nations called BushCo's bluff on pulling out of the talks entirely. While the meeting did not result in any substantive agreements, at least further talks on the process of implementing new (post-2012) changes on greenhouse emissions are scheduled. Although this article in the Washington Post doesn't even mention the administration's threat to not even show up because former President Clinton would be speaking, it does detail some of the issues and activities of this international meeting.
Despite the Bush administration's adamant resistance, nearly every industrialized nation agreed early Saturday to engage in talks aimed at producing a new set of binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions that would take effect beginning in 2012.
...The outcome of Saturday's negotiations -- which nearly collapsed at the eleventh hour after Russia and the United States raised separate objections -- underscored the promise and limits of international talks aimed at confronting one of the world's most far-reaching problems. The results also showed that foreign negotiators have concluded they must press ahead without the Bush administration's assent on the assumption that a burgeoning grass-roots movement will eventually bring the United States back to the negotiating table.
...The United States, which produces one-quarter of the world's greenhouse gases, objects to mandatory limits on the grounds that they could damage the nation's economy and because developing nations, such as China and India, which are burning increasing amounts of fossil fuel, have not embraced binding emissions cuts. Under Saturday's nonbinding agreement, however, China and India pledged to pursue voluntary emissions reductions. [Emphasis added]
As usual, the Republican objection to anything like the Kyoto Agreement is that it will "damage the economy." Forcing industries which belch greenhouse gases and particulate pollution to clean up their act would cut into their bottom line. That this view might be shortsighted, resulting in increased medical costs because of increasing respiratory diseases and increased federal emergency costs because of deadlier and more frequent hurricanes doesn't enter into the equation.
What is also discouraging is that the current regime doesn't seem to appreciate one of the greatest strengths of this country: the powerful capacity for innovation. President John Kennedy challenged the country to enter outer space. This challenge was met when our astronauts bounced around on the moon. The space program not only got us there, it also provided us with all sorts of products that have improved our lives in ways beyond the space program. Challenging the country to come up with technology to reduce greenhouse gasses from industrial and in the vehicles we drive could have the same effect. Since this nation contributes a quarter of all greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, there could be a stunning result.
It's clear that Mr. Bush and his big-business buddies prefer to willfully remain myopic. Fortunately many state and local officials are more clear sighted.
...European delegates said they became convinced over the course of the conference that they could move ahead on climate change because so many Americans -- including state and local officials, senators, students and even former president Bill Clinton -- journeyed to Montreal to urge negotiators to embark on a new round of binding talks.
...Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, whose city won a major global environmental award last week for cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 5 percent in the past three years, said state and local officials are "basically leaving the administration in the dust. The next administration will have little choice but to finally work in collaboration with the rest of the international community." [Emphasis added]
That's a good start.
Despite the Bush administration's adamant resistance, nearly every industrialized nation agreed early Saturday to engage in talks aimed at producing a new set of binding limits on greenhouse gas emissions that would take effect beginning in 2012.
...The outcome of Saturday's negotiations -- which nearly collapsed at the eleventh hour after Russia and the United States raised separate objections -- underscored the promise and limits of international talks aimed at confronting one of the world's most far-reaching problems. The results also showed that foreign negotiators have concluded they must press ahead without the Bush administration's assent on the assumption that a burgeoning grass-roots movement will eventually bring the United States back to the negotiating table.
...The United States, which produces one-quarter of the world's greenhouse gases, objects to mandatory limits on the grounds that they could damage the nation's economy and because developing nations, such as China and India, which are burning increasing amounts of fossil fuel, have not embraced binding emissions cuts. Under Saturday's nonbinding agreement, however, China and India pledged to pursue voluntary emissions reductions. [Emphasis added]
As usual, the Republican objection to anything like the Kyoto Agreement is that it will "damage the economy." Forcing industries which belch greenhouse gases and particulate pollution to clean up their act would cut into their bottom line. That this view might be shortsighted, resulting in increased medical costs because of increasing respiratory diseases and increased federal emergency costs because of deadlier and more frequent hurricanes doesn't enter into the equation.
What is also discouraging is that the current regime doesn't seem to appreciate one of the greatest strengths of this country: the powerful capacity for innovation. President John Kennedy challenged the country to enter outer space. This challenge was met when our astronauts bounced around on the moon. The space program not only got us there, it also provided us with all sorts of products that have improved our lives in ways beyond the space program. Challenging the country to come up with technology to reduce greenhouse gasses from industrial and in the vehicles we drive could have the same effect. Since this nation contributes a quarter of all greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, there could be a stunning result.
It's clear that Mr. Bush and his big-business buddies prefer to willfully remain myopic. Fortunately many state and local officials are more clear sighted.
...European delegates said they became convinced over the course of the conference that they could move ahead on climate change because so many Americans -- including state and local officials, senators, students and even former president Bill Clinton -- journeyed to Montreal to urge negotiators to embark on a new round of binding talks.
...Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, whose city won a major global environmental award last week for cutting its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 5 percent in the past three years, said state and local officials are "basically leaving the administration in the dust. The next administration will have little choice but to finally work in collaboration with the rest of the international community." [Emphasis added]
That's a good start.
posted by Diane at 5:27 AM
4 Comments:
its keeps happenin
thisn heer commet just orbbed up from the other won again. even weerder
you do perty well on the blob stats side of life. how you doin it without any commets ever. hmmmm... anither lawterd screwin the pubic.
theres enuf hot air on this here blob to sail half way across the mighty sacinow creek.
admirinly yurs,
Clete
Thanks for all the extra hits, boys. I do appreciate it.
To my other readers: if you like homoerotic pictures, do visit Clete and Willie Jo's blog.
Yur welcum. The way I see it, you deserve a comment or too. Evry blob should have at least one comment to satisfy the blobees blobbin.
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