No Kyoto Alternative Likely

White House Might Seek Domestic Emissions Reductions

(CBS)  The White House is unlikely to offer alternatives to the Kyoto global warming treaty and instead favors hemispheric and domestic plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Whitman said in a Washington Post interview published Friday.

"Basically, we're going to continue to do our own thing here," Whitman was quoted as saying during a meeting Thursday with Washington Post editors and reporters.

Whitman told the Post the Bush administration will offer a detailed proposal later this year for reducing emissions other than carbon dioxide from U.S. power plants and factories.

The Bush administration would also explore plans with Canada and Mexico for curbing levels of greenhouse gas emissions that some scientists blame for global warming, Whitman told the Post.

Whitman was quoted as saying President Bush would continue to pursue an alternative approach that stresses research, market-based solutions and technology transfers to developing countries with serious pollution problems.

The United States stood on the sidelines Monday as 178 countries agreed on a plan to salvage the Kyoto Protocol on global warming — which the U.S. refuses to ratify or fund.

A U.S. delegate was booed at the talks when she pledged Washington's commitment to protecting the environment.

The deal clears the way for nations to continue the process of ratifying the protocol, which delegates hope to achieve in 2002, the 10th anniversary of the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Whitman told the Post that she is skeptical that the Bonn agreement would be effective. The Kyoto treaty calls for industrialized states to trim output of greenhouse gases to an average of 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.

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The treaty must be ratified by 55 nations responsible for 55 percent of global green gas emissions to take force. Some 30 nations have ratified the pact to date.

Only the 30-odd most developed nations would, if they ratify the treaty, have to cut emissions and their support was the key factor in meeting criteria for the deal as a whole to survive.

Paula Dobriansky, the head of the U.S. delegation, noted the deal will not require the United States to fund any part of the treaty — one of Washington's chief concerns.

Mr. Bush endorsed a general commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a weekend summit in Genoa of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial powers but insisted Kyoto was "fatally flawed."

European envoys said the treaty would be stronger with U.S. participation, but that Washington would be welcome to join at any time.

In a major concession by the EU, the accord allows countries to offset their obligations to reduce industrial pollution by counting th proper management of forests and farmlands that absorb carbon dioxide, known as carbon "sinks." The Clinton administration, while supporting Kyoto, had insisted that sinks be included, to the chagrin of environmentalists.

Environmental groups said the heavy allowance for sinks effectively reduced the commitment in the Kyoto accord to cut emissions by 5.2 percent from their 1990 levels. In fact, the reduction would be closer to 1.8 percent, said the World Wildlife Fund for Nature.