Specifics Sorely Lacking In Blair-Schwarzenegger Climate Meetup

[hatrack]

FOR ALL THE FANFARE that preceded it, the agreement on global warming signed Monday by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is more a promise than a plan. The nation and the nation-state, the two leaders agreed, will collaborate on new, clean-fuel technologies and research the costs and benefits of mandatory emissions trading programs such as those recently put in place in Britain and the rest of Europe. These programs essentially allow businesses to buy and sell the right to pollute, with the goal of reducing pollution overall.

In other words, more study needed.

But that's neither a surprise nor a disappointment — for now. The bigger and more encouraging surprise is that two poll-challenged pols — a roller-coaster governor up for reelection and an embattled prime minister trying to stave off retirement — would turn to global warming as a way to score points. That says a lot about the public's growing concern about the climate crisis. At least in California and Britain.

In much of the United States, unlike in Europe, regular folks don't share this understanding of the crisis. Whether as a cause or a consequence, President Bush has largely ignored global warming or, worse, sowed doubts that it is even happening, a stance that has grown harder to maintain in the face of scientific findings during the last two years.

EDIT

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-climate02aug02,0,256462.story?coll=la-opinion-leftrail

[rocktivity]

1. It can't HELP but be "more of a promise than a plan"

If it's made between the leader of one country and the governor of another. Is this Arnie's way of trying to get jiggy with the "green" folks? That Angeleides guy had better win in a walk.

:crazy:
rocknation