Bush Struggles To Stay Relevant In Climate Debate - Reuters

[hatrack]

EDIT

Bush told a gathering of envoys from the 17 biggest emitters of greenhouse gases that he took global warming seriously and that the United States would do its part to combat it. His acknowledgment of a problem highlighted a shift from his previous questioning of the science linking human activity to rising temperatures.

But Bush found himself at odds with many of the invited delegates as he tried to rally support for voluntary measures and declined to embrace the binding targets many believe are essential to tackling global warming. "I think there was a lot of hope that the United States would show some movement," said Alex Lennon, a national security analyst and climate specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Now, Lennon said, "a lot of countries are already looking past this administration." A European participant in the two-day climate session echoed that sentiment. "I know that with this administration we will not reach any results because the time is too short," the visiting official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

EDIT

The Democratic-led Congress is considering several bills that would set mandatory emissions limits. Prominent corporations like General Electric and DuPont are calling for strong action on global warming, as are some Republican politicians such as California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. That has led many to many to believe that the president who succeeds Bush in early 2009 is almost certain to be more sympathetic to a tougher approach on climate change.

"I don't think that anyone believes that the next president -- whether Republican or Democrat -- will follow Bush's lead on climate," said Nicholas Eisenberger of Green Order, a New York consulting firm that advises companies on climate issues. "The question for President Bush is whether he has anything relevant left to say," Eisenberger said. "If he does not, the world will just move on without him."

EDIT/END

http://uk.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKN3023796820070930

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. dupe.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3011442
MKJ

[Systematic Chaos]

2. I believe this headline is a misprint.

"Stay" should have been "become". :grr: