U.S. Said To Squash Greenhouse Gas Cuts

Global Pact To Cut Emissions 20% By 2020 Faces White House Objections, Environmentalists Reveal

(AP)  The United States is preparing to reject new targets on climate change at a Group of Eight summit next month, dashing German and British hopes for a new global pact on carbon emissions, according to a document released by environmentalists.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, holding the rotating presidency of both the G-8 bloc of industrialized nations and the European Union, wants the June meeting to agree on targets for cuts in greenhouse gas output and a timetable for a major agreement on emissions reduction to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.

But unattributed comments written on a draft summit communique, which Greenpeace said were written by U.S. officials and handed to the group by an undisclosed third party, suggest the White House has major reservations.

"The U.S. still has serious, fundamental concerns about this draft statement," the notes on the document read. "The treatment of climate change runs counter to our overall position and crosses multiple 'red lines' in terms of what we simply cannot agree to."

The 27 EU members have agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 — building on Kyoto, which runs through 2012 — and by 30 percent if a broader international agreement can be reached.

Though Merkel and outgoing British leader Tony Blair — who made climate change a key priority for his final weeks in office — have pressed President Bush to back a new agreement, the document claimed the White House is "fundamentally opposed" to many of the European objectives.

The U.S., the world's biggest polluter, did not ratify the Kyoto agreement through which developed countries agreed to cut emissions by 5 percent below their 1990 level by 2012.

Merkel is seeking to win agreements for a global reduction in emissions of 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and bold commitments to energy efficiency strategies at the summit in Heiligendamm, on Germany's Baltic Sea coast, June 6-8.

The draft communique also included a commitment to curb the rise in average temperatures this century to 3.6 degrees, said the environmental group Greenpeace — which has published two leaked versions of the document. Without significant efforts, the rise is estimated to rise as much as 11 degrees, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Following talks in Washington with Bush on May 17, Blair said he believed "it is possible that we will see action — and at least the beginnings of that action at the G-8."

James Turner, a Greenpeace spokesman, said the group was confident the leaked comments were made by a U.S. official. "The document is from a stable and trusted source," he said.

Merkel on Thursday acknowledged negotiations could be problematic. "On the international level, the array of interests is more contradictory," she said. "I don't yet know, if there will be a success in Heiligendamm," where the G-8 summit is being held.

Comments Greenpeace attributed to U.S. officials said the White House had "never agreed to any of the climate language present" in the draft communique.

"We have tried to 'tread lightly' but there is only so far we can go given our fundamental opposition to the German position," read the comments.

Germany's minister for the environment, Sigmar Gabriel, warned in remarks released Saturday that the U.S. stance could create problems for successful talks at the upcoming G-8 summit.

"Discussions will be more than difficult," Gabriel told the Frankfurter Allgemeine's Sunday edition. "Although many in the USA would like to see a different policy toward global warming, the administration in Washington has not embraced this movement. For that reason, success in Heiligendamm will be very difficult."

[socrates392]

"Canada is the greatest polluter of the Great Lakes, they also emit higher levels of greenhouse gases than us."

Posted by janem4 at 10:02 AM : May 27, 2007

Huh? Care to back up your ravings with some sort documentation?

[rickstas]

Ralph Nader was right - Bush is a corporation masquerading as a human being.

[michellem99-2009]

I know the world has changed over years. I have noticed it. We used have pretty blue sky that is not seen today. It is hazy. Cars every where. There were few cars years ago. People took care of their things. Then they came up with throw away /use it once and toss. That became a problem.
I never had children. I do think the human race needs to have less children,learn to be a one car household.I can hear the buts coming. I think sanctions on the rich would be in order and the US of A should to step upto the plate and do her part. The sanctions would hurt the poor the worse. Her leaders know this but don't care. They will whine when it is too late to turn back from the damages. Noney and greed.

[younastybw]

The U.S. is a big joke. Our government talks big about global warming, but, when it comes time to show and prove, we puzzy out. It's all about big business. The Republicans are hand in hand with big business. They don't want to spend the money or lose the money improving the environment. Big business are Republicans buggest supporters. So they stand by their sides.

[omega39-2009]

The naysayers on this thread are the same type of people that long ago vehemently argued that the world was flat and that the sun revolved around the planet.

[mcvet]

Anyone who can't see that our enviroment is changing and is doing so at an accelerated rate isn't looking. We can not just sit back and watch as the earth turns hot and we are faced with terrible results. I know fascist hate change and they can not deal with change that does NOT fit their ideals and beliefs but that isn't new. We must elect people with the ability to addapt and adjust, not people who will just turn their heads and deny the problem exist. Sieg Heil Y'all.

[acauble1]

President Bush will never never never never never ever sign or support ANYTHING...

...that harms, reduces, or threatens...









...the profits of his corporate doners/friends.

[acauble1]

Not an immediate solution, but now, more than ever, stopping the massive growth of population worldwide will reduce consumers of environmentally unsafe products, & detrimental destruction/overbuilding.
2 parents - just 2 children, NOW!!

Contact www.PopulationConnection.org .
Posted by Trojanny at 11:20 PM : May 26, 2007
........

First, to all Christians and other religious folk...

...when your holy book says something like, "be fruitful and multiply."

Us educated people say to all of you, "BE MINDFUL AND PLUG IT UP!"

Second,

Watch the movie called: "Idiocracy"

Even though it's a satirical commedy, the move accurately predicts the future of the United States within 50 years.

[ne_patriot7]

I think the G8 should become the G7 by kicking out the US... then they can proceed with a responsible treaty on reducing emissions causing global warming... and when the US fails to comply, hit us with sanctions...

Bush has not been bashful about championing sanctions against everyone else when they refuse to kowtow to his whims..

Let's face it... as long as this arrogant, stupid, son ofa b*tch we call a president and his corporate whoring Republicans are still in office... nothing will be progressing forward in this country or the world for that matter... only regression, calamity, terror, murder and sh*tting on the little guy... that's what this administration is good for...

[trojanny]

Not an immediate solution, but now, more than ever, stopping the massive growth of population worldwide will reduce consumers of environmentally unsafe products, & detrimental destruction/overbuilding.
2 parents - just 2 children, NOW!!

Contact www.PopulationConnection.org .

[michellem99-2009]

Bush. He took an oath to up hold the constution.The constution is more than a piece of paper. Up hold it as we the people hold it dear. As an Amreican,I was taught to love the America our vets died for. The duty to fly the colors. I will say this as a blind person and I AM 52,that GW Bush is rude. I can not forgive him for making an AZZ of himself onTV to a blind reporter. We as a nation must care about the earth as we all live on it.This is home. Nixon resigned. Let the EPA do its job. Mr.Bush get an F- for grade. barbaraf4 well said.

[barbaraf4]

dlpracer:

"Mr. President," one aide in the meeting said. "There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution."

"Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," Bush screamed back. "It's just a ********* piece of paper!"

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7779.shtml

[jimfinster]

dlpracer:

Seek some professional help. Goodbye.

[dlpracer]

Or, maybe you are just hunkered down in your compound in Idaho, watching Fox news 24/7?

Posted by jimfinster at 06:06 PM : May 26, 2007

-----------

Don't get FOX News here in the sticks.

But what I do know, and apparently YOU don't, is that the likes of O Reilly and other FOX commentators are human-caused global warming advocates.

Probably makes ya sick knowing that you and Bill are on the same side of this issue...doesn't it...tee hee.

Another fact you can't seem to get right...jeez-o-man.

[jimfinster]

dlpracer:

You are dense, with your skeptic list and all. That lame arguement is over.

Maybe you missed the Supreme Court ruling that classifies CO2 as a pollutant?

Maybe you missed reading the ICPP report this year?

Maybe you even missed Bonehead Bush in recent speeches, finally admitting the factual basis of global warming?

Or, maybe you are just hunkered down in your compound in Idaho, watching Fox news 24/7?

[dlpracer]

.....need I continue?

Try again.

[dlpracer]

Distinguished list of skeptics:

Dr.Harry N.A. Priem Emeritus Professor Utrecht University
Dr.Andreas Prokoph Adjunct Professor University of Ottawa
Dr.Paul Reiter Professor Institut Pasteur
Dr.Art Robinson Founder Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine
Dr.Arthur Rorsch Emeritus Professor of Molecular Genetics Leiden University
Dr.Rob Scagel Principal Consultant Pacific Consultants
Dr.Gary Sharp Director Center for Climate/Ocean Resources Study
Dr.Nir J. Shaviv Astrophysicist The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Dr.Fred Singer Climatologist The Competitive Enterprise Institute
Dr.Graham Smith Associate Professor University of Western Ontario
Dr.Roy Spencer Principal Research Scientist The University of Alabama
Dr.Henrik Svensmark Climate Scientist Danish Space Research Institute
Dr.Gordon E. Swaters Applied Mathematics Professor University of Alberta
Mr George Taylor State Climatologist State of Oregon
Dr.Hendrik Tennekes Retired Director of Research Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
Dr.Gerrit J. van der Lingen Climate Change Consultant Geoscience Research and Investigations
Dr.G. Cornelis van Koten Environmental and Climate Change Professor University of Victoria
Dr.Jan Veizer Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences University of Ottawa

[jimfinster]

dlpracer:

That why Nixon formed the EPA during his administration?
Posted by dlpracer at 05:40 PM : May 26, 2007

Those were the good old days, huh? But the current Repub platform and attitude towards the environment does not REMOTELY resemble that era. I dropped out of the party many years ago, when they became absolute wwhores to corporate america, then the religous wackos took it over.

Maybe you should NOT try again...

[dlpracer]

Distinguished list of skeptics:

Mr.William Kininmonth Former Head National Climate Centre
Dr.Hans H.J. Labohm Former Advisor to the Executive Board Clingendael Institute
Dr.Douglas Leahey meteorologist and air-quality consultant Calgary
Dr.Marcel Leroux Climatology Professor Emeritus University of Lyon
Dr.Dennis Lettenmaier Hydrology Professor University of Washington
Dr.Richard Lindzen Meteorologist Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Dr.Bjorn Lomborg Associate Statistics Professor University of Aarhus
Dr.Alister McFarquhar International Economist Downing College
Dr.Ross McKitrick Associate Professor University of Guelph
Dr.Patrick J. Michaels Professor of Environmental Sciences University of Virginia
Dr.Fred Michel Associate Professor Carleton University
Dr.M. R. Morgan Climate Consultant First Minister of Wales
Dr.Nils-Axel Morner Emeritus Professor Stockholm University
Dr.Tad Murty Adjunct Professor University of Ottawa
Mr.David Nowell Fellow Royal Meteorological Society
Dr.Garth W. Paltridge Director The Cooperative Research Centre for Antarctica and the Southern Ocean
Dr.Benny Peiser Professor of Social Anthropology Liverpool John Moores University
Dr.Al Pekarek Associate Professor of Geology St. Cloud State University
Dr.Roger Pielke, Sr. Meteorologist Cooperative Institute of Research
Dr.Ian Plimer Professor University of Adelaide and University of Melbourne

[dlpracer]

Distinguished list of skeptics:

Dr.Paul Cooper Professor Emeritus Laurentian University
Dr.Richard S. Courtney Climate and Atmospheric Science Consultant Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Dr.Chris de Freitas Associate Professor and Climate Scientist The University of Auckland
Dr.Freeman J. Dyson Emeritus Professor of Physics Institute for Advanced Studies
Dr.Hugh W. Ellsaesser Physicist/Meteorologist Formerly with Livermore National Laboratory
Dr.Robert H. Essenhigh Professor of Energy Conversion The Ohio State University
Dr.Christopher Essex Applied Mathematics Professor University of Western Ontario
Dr.Bill Gray Professor Emeritus Colorado State University
Dr.Vincent Gray Expert Reviewer Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Dr.Keith D. Hage Meteorology Professor Emeritus University of Alberta
Dr.Howard Hayden Emeritus Professor of Physics University of Connecticut
Dr.Douglas Hoyt Retired Scientist Raytheon Company
Dr.Andrei llarionov Chief Economic Adviser Russian President Vladimir Putin
Dr.Zbigniew Jaworowski Physicist and Chairman Scientific Council of Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection
Dr.Ola Johanneseen Professor Nasen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center
Dr.Wibjorn Karlen Emeritus Professor Stockholm University
Dr.Aynsley Kellow Professor University of Tasmania
Dr.Madhav Khandekar Former Research Scientist Environment Canada