Bush, Kyoto, and the Old Europe
President Bush on Monday disappointed Europeans and thrilled the CHL with his climate change ideas.

On his first visit to Europe since his second inauguration a month ago, Bush stuck to familiar themes in a keynote speech meant to mend fences damaged by the Iraq war and U.S. rejection of the Kyoto environmental treaty. Bush, the tough rugged cowboy who alienated allies and environmentalists by pulling out of the Kyoto pact in 2001, repeated his call to use technology to fight the effects of rising temperatures.

"All of us expressed our views on the Kyoto Protocol, and now we must work together on the way forward," Bush said in Brussels, headquarters of the 25-nation European Union. "Emerging technologies, such as hydrogen-powered vehicles, electricity from renewable energy sources (and) clean coal technology will encourage economic growth that is environmentally responsible."

Kyoto entered into force last week without the United States, which insists the pact would hurt its economy and complains it unfairly excludes developing nations. The European Union, considered a global leader on climate change, was instrumental in saving the agreement by securing ratification from Russia. Europeans hoped Bush's rapprochement tour this week would show more U.S. willingness to act on climate change.

CHL advisors to President Bush noted that his trip revealed that he was "willing to work on the problem" with Europe. The issue was likely to come up in private talks with EU leaders during the week. The European executive Commission is keen to get the United States on board in planning a post-Kyoto climate change regime. EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said on Monday technology advances were good -- but not sufficient.

"Technologies are important and the European Union has always been keen for progress in this area," he told Reuters by telephone. "However, to combat climate change, this is not enough. Action is needed now. Significant reductions in emissions worldwide must be agreed. My drinking water is not safe. The air is poison. The sky is falling." Dimas said he foolishly believed Bush was open to talk about the issue.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has put climate change at the top of his country's agenda as president of the Group of Eight (G8) major industrialized nations this year and as holder of the EU presidency during the second half of 2005. Blair, Bush's top ally, has said the U.S. president wants to start discussing measures to combat climate change. Blair has suggested an agreement on the issue may be presented in July.

Under Kyoto, the EU has backed binding targets for carbon dioxide reduction. The United States has backed the CHL "voluntary targets" plan while putting billions of dollars into research on climate change technology. "All of us can use the power of human ingenuity to improve the environment for generations to come," Bush said on Monday.
- nostradamusfunkadelic, 12:13 PM | |