marklynas.orgBush climate change policy 27 August 04
Continuing our Bush theme, the Guardian today reports a White House “u-turn” on climate change, with the Administration apparently conceding that emissions of greenhouse gases are the only likely explanation for global warming. I’m not sure that this is a particularly significant development, given that as long ago as 1999 the then candidate George Bush promised to regulate carbon dioxide – a promise he broke once appointed to office. And, as if we needed any more evidence of the utter uselessness of current US climate change policy, a new Energy Policy journal essay concludes that Bush’s ‘energy intensity’ targets and voluntary schemes are little more than a smokescreen for business as usual.
Comments
Vicki Falde
August 28th, 2004 at 09:28 PM
As many articles and editorials are already pointing out, Bush allowing this “radical policy shift,” with 2 Cabinet Secretaries (I believe) among the signers, is primarily motivated by the desire of the GOP right to place their Convention in the most moderate light possible. The roster of speakers are filled with the names of GOP moderates-
real or perceived, for instance. (One must be grateful to the real GOP moderates in Congress. Their willingness to work bipartisanly with their Democratic counterparts may be a major reason why more of the neocons’ legislative goals HAVEN’T been enacted. Many of them are also have strong pro-environmental stances.) Of course, the secondary reasonto come off as “not such monsters as you think” for the rest of the campaigncarries pretty equal weight. (Thanks go to certain segments of journalism-alternatives, a few columnists, some topical web sites that many would like to write off as “conspiracy freaks,” but are telling [GASP!]the TRUTH about what’s going on here…and, as usual, much of the UK publications and electronic mediums—thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!) Don’t stop keeping us Citizens Of The Empire updated, OK? We need your input!