U.S. releases climate research goals
Bush administration and environmentalists again at odds
MSNBC STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
WASHINGTON, July 24 — The Bush administration on Thursday released its strategy for dealing with climate change — one that calls for more study before taking any stronger action. Environmentalists criticized the policy, which the Bush administration defended as the prudent approach given uncertainties in the science.
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“WE CAN’T move the science faster than it goes,” said Assistant Commerce Secretary James Mahoney, who oversees U.S. research on climate change.
But environmentalists said the administration was wasting time by reopening scientific issues already well studied. Many scientists blame carbon dioxide from burning oil and coal for contributing to a “greenhouse” or warming effect on Earth.
“Most climate scientists around the world will see this as fiddling while Rome burns,” said Phil Clapp, president of National Environmental Trust. “This would have been a great research program if it had been announced by the first President Bush 10 years ago.”http://www.msnbc.com/news/943441.asp?0na=x2324AL4-