Bush Unveils Strategy On Global Warming

President Urges Voluntary Cuts Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

(CBS/AP)  A week before the start of the G-8 Summit in Germany, President Bush was trying to head off critics of his policy on global warming by announcing he’s ready to work with the rest of the world, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

Mr. Bush, under international pressure to take tough action against global warming, on Thursday called for a summit of the United States and other nations that spew the most greenhouse gases on the planet.

The goal: set a long-term global strategy for reducing emissions — and counter allegations that the United States is foot-dragging.

The White House said the president's proposal addresses "life after" the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. He wants to bring India, China and other fast-growing countries to the negotiation table so they are part of the solution, not the problem.

"The United States takes this issue seriously," Mr. Bush said.

Critics disagree. They say Mr. Bush wants to set unenforceable targets for curbing greenhouse gas, not concrete limits on emissions. They contend he is ignoring other international efforts on climate change that are already under way, and is trying to avoid taking action until he leaves office.

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Only On The Web: A climate change expert talks about President Bush's plan to reduce greenhouse gases.

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David Doniger, climate policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said Mr. Bush will have no credibility with the countries he wants to bring to the table unless he's committed to specific limits to cap the United States' own contributions to global warming.

"The president is warming up to throw his opening pitch while business, states and the rest of the world are already at the top of the ninth inning," Doniger said. "It is nothing less than embarrassing that three of the world's biggest oil companies are calling for tougher measures than the White House."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, just back from a climate change fact-finding trip to Greenland and European capitals, said getting nations to set voluntary emissions targets was not enough to reverse warming of the planet.

"Today's announcement fails to respond to the severity of the crisis that most of the rest of the world has long since recognized," she said.

The president outlined his proposal in a speech just days before he attends a summit in Germany of leading industrialized nations. Global warming is a major topic on the agenda and Mr. Bush will be on the spot.

"The new initiative I'm outlining today will contribute to the important dialogue that will take place in Germany next week," he said.

The president has been at odds with many European leaders, rejecting their call to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent of 1990 levels by the year 2050. Thursday, those same leaders praised Mr. Bush, reports Axelrod.

The administration is resisting parts of a climate change initiative being pushed by the host of the G-8 meeting, German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She backs a plan that would limit the average global temperature increase to 3.6 degrees. Practically, experts say that would require — by 2050 — a global reduction in emissions of 50 percent below 1990 levels.

"For the first time we've got the opportunity of getting a proper global deal," said British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "Because without America and China, then the rest of the world frankly can agree whatever it wants but it's not going to have the effect of improving the environment."

[forthepeopl1]

JULY 21 2007 IS WHEN AMERICANS WILL BE FREE AGAIN

EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..

I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.

AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..

DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,[e-mail]

ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION


they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..

just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..


if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!

its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..

they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out

[j-whitman]

Bush said, "The US is taking the lead" ???? -- It seems to me, the EU took the lead & Bush didn't want to play.

In the mean time, the demand for corn oil has driven up food costs around the world & severly hurts Americans.... Corn Ethanol, cost more to refine & you pay more & will increase fuel consumption.

[iceman_1960]

Bush is all over the feel-good issues right now:

AIDS, Sudan, Global Warming...

Sorry, Mr. Rove. That won't work.

Try again.

[afmca]

Just like Bush ... repeat the lie enough and his Kool-Aid drinkers will chug it down. Why is the world would he believe anyone would believe he is serious about global warming and the environment? If he is .. GO TO THE MEETING ALREADY SCHEDULED !!! He wants create an offshoot group so that he can stop all momentum. Europe and the rest of the world are not as stupid as your lemming followers to fall for this trap.

[dan9111]

It's more like a global suicide pact. I don't tell Bush what car to drive. It's none of my business.

So why, Mr. Bush, condone violence against the evil SUV owners? The free market is solving this problem. It is our only hope, as hybrid carmakers are proving. The liberal solution is insane, and Bush's is more insane. Both assume the consumer is stupid. Quite the opposite, air quality is more important to us than them. We don't get a big fat subsidy for it.

[clestes-2009]

The United States takes this issue seriously," Mr. Bush said"

What a joke. Up until 2 years before katrina wiped out New Orleans, dubya thought climate change was a hoax. He still does. He is only tyring to avoid looking like the miserable coward he is. He won't stand up to the oil industry and force them to comply to emission controls. "Voluntary reductions" are his mantra.

The oil companines are making record profits and a lot of that money is going into the Bush family. He won't do anything to support reducing greenhouse gases other than the bare minimum to avoid looking like the dummy he already looks like.

[micma-2009]

Bush is, by far, the worst President in U.S. history.

He's a disaster for this country and the world.

The only people who stil support him are religious fanatics and other extremist wing-nuts.

[sjc_1]

Bush said that using less fossil fuels would be bad for our economy. Germany has created 175,000 new clean high paying jobs by promoting renewable energy in their country. I would say that is GOOD for the countries economy not bad. Why do people even listen to this guy?!

[terrapin78]

Corn ethanol has a return of 1.3 energy units for every 1 energy unit sued to produce corn ethanol.

This is HORRIBLE. We need a higher yield. Sawgrass is expected to provide about a 10 to 1 yield when the development is finished.

Corn ethanol MUST be a bridge to higher yielding ethanol processes. It is NOT the answer.

[sparkcolo]

What an idiot! There is already a global emissions pact. It's called the Kyoto treaty, but he was too pig-headed and pulled out of it way back in 2001. Now he's just trying to redeem the fastly fading shred of dignity that remains in his presidency.

[terrapin78]

Sounds like delaying tactics to me.

Bu$h, IMO, thinks the Rapture is going to happen and end any worries about global warming and any other thing he phucked up.

[docpeter-2009]

"Bush Calls For Global Emissions Pact"

Why do I want to question the sincerity of this comment?

Could it be that Bush and Big Oil sleep together?

Could it be that Bush likely has $M invested in corn methanol and is planning on subsidizing growers and producers of corn methanol? Why, if there is going to be such a need for corn methanol, do they need to be subsidized? If more farm land is converted from food agricultural to corn methanol, what are/is the govt. planning to do to meet the nutritional needs of the citizens of this country (import from Mexico)?

Or Maybe I just don't trust and believe anything GWB says these days?

[space_poet]

I clearly remember Bush's 1st inaugural speech when he preached about cleaner fuels and more efficient cars and trucks, blah, blah, blah. I said to myself, yeah right, I'll keep my fingers crossed, but I didn't believe a word he said. That was about 6 years ago. Now all of the sudden he cares, yeah, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[lorinkundert]

"The only people who stil support him are religious fanatics and other extremist wing-nuts." That may be true but lets be fair, you could also say that those who support the Democratic front runners are Socialist loving left wing-nuts. So who does leave as a good choice for President in 2008?

[jjp735i]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

[hank19541]

in my opion he is just trying not to be listed in history as the worst president this counrty has ever had.i am a republican

[tbweb]

If you look at recent Bush administration "about faces" on issues like Dufar, Aids, Iraq, Talking to Iran, Global Warming, Immigration Veto threats and some others, it shows an effort to get in touch with the American people, it shows an effort to show he is finally listening. A lot of damage has been done, many are hurting, but President Bush does have over a year and half left in Office to somewhat redeem himself, all he has to do is be sincere, show he really means it, get back and stay in touch with what America is really about. It will take a while for everyone to calm down and trust this new direction, but its never too late to say you're sorry in your own way, its never to late to see the error of your ways and reverse course and there is plenty of time for President Bush to make a small "Come Back" and those who won't like it are probably the same ones who never liked him in the first place. All religions are based in hope for a better future, here and in the after life, for without hope, one need not wait until death to be in Hell.

[micma-2009]

lorinkundert


The Democratic candidates are way more moderate than anything the GOP has presented in years. That's why they apeal to a broader spectrum of society. I usually vote Democratic because it's the lesser of the two evils. This is what American politics boils down to because of the corrupting influence of corporate and special interest money.

[seven-pesos]

what a fu&king snake bush is.

you can't believe a word that faith professing texas creep says.

bush's oil buddies will never help america go green.

but they still love that dixie piece of southern *****, bush, in the south.

i shiit on the south. i wipe my azz with the confederate flag.

war,hate, arrogance, phony christian creeps...

nothing good comes out of the south.

[briannorwood]

Read his words carefully. Alot of talk and no action. Just another study group?

Gimme a break. This man is garbage!

[rafterman1]

If we just cut the bad emmissions coming from Bush and Cheney's mouths, we'd cut global warming by 50% worldwide.

[ixoye_02]

Bush is offering nothing but hype and empty words just like his whole presidency. Why would I believe that Bush is finally seeing the writing on the wall with respect to global warming? This is more of the same garbage offered by this Liar. I can't wait until we have a new president.

[seven-pesos]

the only people that believe that creep, bush, are those slave state southern snakes that put that ***, bush, in the white house.

those idiot, ignorant, uneducated southern christian freaks put bush in office.

i ***** on the south.

i wipe my azz on the confederate flag.

ignorant, bible thumping, flag waving, dixie pieces of war supporting *****.

bush country.

nothing good comes out of the south.

[martene1]

What a bunch of baloney--- he is only saying something because of the upcoming prez election -- trying to show his party is made up of good guys. Isn't this the same Pres who refused to participate in global goals already decided??? Isn't this the same Pres who REVERSED Clinton's air and water policies forgiving bench-marks that the Clinton admin made for big polluters, etc - ???

Where has Mr. Bush been for 7 years....oh yeah, I forgot, he was busy playing war games in Iraq and watching SOMEONES Halliburton stock go through the roof....gee, I wonder who??

Bush calling for Gloabl Em. Pact is a political joke!!! C'mon dems, wake up? Take responsibilty for voting for the wrong guy in 2004 and support the Dem of your choice!!!

By the way....when can I eat Tuna again without mercury poisoning????

[seven-pesos]

white trash, redneck, bible thumping, war making south.

bush's kind of people.

i ***** on the south.

i wipe my stinky azz with the confederate flag.

nothing good comes out of the south.

[panhandlpete]

No matter how much carbon emmissions are curtailed, the scientists are now predicting the 22 year cycle of solar flares to repeat in the year 2012, so just how that will affect our planet with regards to weather changes, temperature rise and communications is something to get our attention. This is something we have no control over, but it might be in our best interest to elect public officials who support science, not stifle it or manipulate it.

I may have been here a long time, but I do not feel there is ANYTHING this Prez could do in the balance of his term in office to make me "forget the lies, poor leadership and selling of America" , and he rates as the WORST president during my lifetime.

[perception5]

If we just cut the bad emmissions coming from Bush and Cheney's mouths, we'd cut global warming by 50% worldwide.

Posted by Rafterman1 at 01:32 PM : May 31, 2007

Yeah and if we just cut the stink emmissions coming from Al Gore and John$400 we could cut global warming completely.

[olebd]

Notice how, every once in a while, he gets a burst of energy once and a while and starts (trying) to work hard. I hate it when he gets this way. It makes him and the U.S. seem more incompetent with each pre-fabbed statement he makes. No fret though, it should all subside by late next week. Isn't he due for another R&R trip to Crawford?

[realpatriot1]

seven-pesos,

You have no idea how people in the south feel about Bush or anything else, anymore than people in the south know how people in Massachusetts or New York feel.

In my personal experience of tlaking about politics to people in the east, the midwest, and the south I find just as many liberals in North Carolina and just as many reactioanry Republicans in Massachusetts and New York. Bush & Kerry both won a lot of states with 51-52% of the vote that
are now deemed red or blue that really aren't much different from one another.

As a matter of fact, the last time I saw regionally-based polling on Bush's popularity, he was more unpopular in the south than in any region in the country.

I live near Ft. Bragg. The troops are our neighbors and we take the losses and the impact on the families as personally as anyone.

Your attitude is just another form of ignorant bigotry. Plus you never have anything thoughtful to say about anything. What's the point?

[perception5]

The Democratic candidates are way more moderate than anything the GOP has presented in years. That's why they apeal to a broader spectrum of society. I usually vote Democratic because it's the lesser of the two evils. This is what American politics boils down to because of the corrupting influence of corporate and special interest money.

Posted by micma at 01:22 PM : May 31, 2007

........ Actually micma, according to the polls the Dems are fielding three left-wing candiates in Hillary Rotten-Clinton, Obama zero experience, and John$400..

While the GOP is fielding three very strong moderates in Mitt, Rudy, and John

...........sorry. If Mitt or Rudy gets the GOP nomination they will take 49 states in 2008.

Have a nice day............dreaming.

[martene1]

You are wrong 7-pesos, unfortunately, too many rebubs are in the north, too. And it was the north wishy-washy dems that voted repub that put your buddy in the White House.

Don't single out the south -land of Al Gore and John Edwards. At least they gave it a good go. Well, maybe not THAT good of a go. They made big time blunders, too

And John Kerry is a Catholic!!!! They rejected him because of his stance on abortion--- now Guiliani comes out with a clear and concise explanation on why he is yes, against abortion (nobody really supports abortion) but respects the woman's right to choose.

Duh....C'mon dems, isn't that what we are trying to say but somehow can't say it?????

[ubrew12]

How about a Global Warming Czar?

He could hold meetings with the Iraq War Czar and release statements and stuff.

[seven-pesos]

never a war the south couldn't lose.

jefferson davis lost his,
johnson lost his
bush will lose his.

the south has lost every war they started.

idiot southern creeps are only good for sunday afternoon parades

in their tight-butt uniforms.

ha,ha,ha.

war, division, arrogance, phony christian creeps, crooked republican snakes...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[martene1]

A "Czar"---are you crazy. Do you really, really think that those in power really don't know what to do about G. warming -???? They just don't want to admit or acknowledge that big biz and corp's will have to foot the bill.

Oh, yeah. Forget Mr. Reagan's trickle down theory.

The cost will be passed on to you and me.

Gas at $3.15 today. Oh, goody.

And you idiots who say it is more expensive in Europe so we should stop whining obviously don't understand where our $3.15 goes and where their $6.15 or whatever it is, goes. More mis-information stupidities.

[j-whitman]

perception5,,, Rudy ???? Come on now --- He's become a multi-millionare from profiteering from 9/11.

[seven-pesos]

jesse james was another disgruntled, confederate dixie snake...

never shot a man face to face.

murdered all two dozen men he killed by shooting them in the back.

typical southern snake.

just like that faith professing creep, bush.

they still love bush in the south.

war, hate, ignorant, uneducated dixie a&&holes...

nothing good comes out of the south!

[edjohn66]

I thought Bush didn't believe in greenhouse gasses....

Its so hard to keep up with the stream of propaganda from the White House these days. Anyone else feel like they are living in George Orwell's 1984?

"We are against greenhouse gasses! We always have been!"
"Saddam never had ties to Al Quida. We never said that he did!"
"We are looking to contain sectarian violence in Iraq. That has been our goal from the beginning!"

[Syndicate]

BY 2050 Nuclear fusion should be ready for prime time. The prototype is scheduled to fire up in 2017. Therefore if we do nothing. If we set no goals if we sit on our ***** and wait. by 2050 there will be no green house gas emissions. Your car will be powered by hydrogen produced by electricity made at the fusion power plant. All we have to do is wait. Bush should call for a 100% reduction by 2050 then explain how we have been working toward this goal for the last twenty years.

www.Iter.org

[muzzlebush]

George and his handlers have a seven year deficit in their attitude toward the environment. This just seems like a last ditch effort to try to leave something other than a legacy of lies and corruption. Do they really think they're going to fool anyone this late in the game?

[perception5]

perception5,,, Rudy ???? Come on now --- He's become a multi-millionare from profiteering from 9/11.
Posted by j-whitman at 01:57 PM : May 31, 2007

dear j-whtiman, I guess you don't have any problems with John$400 who's made millions suing doctors and hospitals?? which is a "big" reason why 47 million Americans can't afford health insureance....... I guess you support all those vampire trial lawyers that are "feeding" off our institutions ??

[martene1]

Hey Tbweb, I guess you forgive OJ Simpson, too. And all the dead US soldiers will rise from the grave and say, "that's ok Mr. Bush"?!?!?!?

We didn't like him in the first place for good reason, and he has given us 7 years of proof that those who voted against him are correct.

You obviously have some stake in Mr. Bush or are independently wealthy or maybe just plain uninformed-----Any, any, any overture Bush makes to be "sensitive to the American people", as you say, is a political move to support the next pres to be a repub.

And that is scary: That you could be duped again by propaganda and lies and think he may be right.

[dan9111]

Obviously the global warming religion has a stranglehold on legitimate science. It does not hold up to the scrutiny of the scientific method. Yes, there are good things to do, like drive hybrids and save electricity. All things that Al Gore wants us to do. But those are encouraged by the free market more than a Democrat gun to our heads.

The last thing we need is Kyoto, or Bush's plan for that matter, to sabotage our consumer choices. If global warming is real, consumers are very interested. It is our air. The government, and sure the oil companies too, want to tell us lies to get our money. That is only so they can pollute all the more, using your money, instead of letting you make choices and decide for yourself.

[johnshaft4]

What sick joke is "Christian" George Bush going to lay on us next?

[seven-pesos]

the south voted overwhelmingly for bush, twice!

now like peter, those dixie a$$holes deny ever having known bush.

white trash, hypocrite, southern pieces of dixie repubican *****.

war, hate, arrogance, phony christian creeps, ignorant slave state *****.

nothing good comes out of the south.

[briannorwood]

Dan9111:

I guess the consensue of all of the world's respected scientists isn't good enough for you.

Here's a suggestion for you. Go visit the Creationist Museum. That should really tweak your scientific curiosity.

[j-whitman]

perception5,,, Vampire trial lawyers ??? Like the trial lawyers for Enron, Scooter Libby, OJ Simpson & Big Oil companies ??????

Edwards isn't my man, but,, he actually cares for Americans who are our nations workers, our soldiers & the reason our democract was created... Can't say that about Rudy, Romney or McCain --- They put the GOP over America's citezens every time.

[seven-pesos]

idiot southern confederate snakes couldn't reconcile losing the civil war...

so they started to murder all their yankee prisoners of war all through the south.

in one p.o.w. camp, andersonville, georgia confederate rebel death camp

they murdered more than 13,000 fine, young, yankee fighting men.

murdered, hung, starved to death, allowed to die of disease, tortured to death...

before grant could rescue them.

don't believe it? do a search!

confederate rebel death camp at andersonville, georgia.

don't let me catch any of bush loving slave state snakes in california.

i'll put my size 13" up your ignorant christian dixie azz.

ha,ha,ha.

war, hate, dirty, filthy slave state bush loving snakes.

nothing good comes out of the south.

[forthepeopl1]

JULY 21 2007 IS WHEN AMERICANS WILL BE FREE AGAIN

EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..

I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.

AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..

DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,[e-mail]

ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION


they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..

just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..


if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!

its time to take all this *** and take our government back now..

they are the ones that started this and we will finnish it now..we the people will take our country back and everyone in washington can sit there and thinks we the people are ok with what they are doing..go ahead and let them think that we are comming to take them out

[rafterman1]

=== I guess you don't have any problems with John$400 who's made millions suing doctors and hospitals?? which is a "big" reason why 47 million Americans can't afford health insureance....... I guess you support all those vampire trial lawyers that are "feeding" off our institutions ??===

Did they deserve to be sued? If so, then they got what they deserved. If doctors and hospitals screw up, then that's their problem. Or do you always side with the rich and the big money automatically at the expense of average people every time?

[jimfinster]

This is not a serious proposal. Once again, Bush seeks to delay the day of reckoning with more "meetings and talks." Pathetic.