U.S. OPPOSES G8 CLIMATE PROPOSALS

[Anonymous]

US ‘opposes’ G8 climate proposals
The
US appears to have rejected draft proposals by Germany for G8 members
to agree tough measures in greenhouse gas emissions, leaked documents
have shown.Wide-ranging US amendments to a draft communique prepared
ahead of June’s G8 in Germany summit cite a “fundamental opposition” to
the proposals.

Germany wants all G8 members to agree timetables and targets for major cuts.
Greenpeace,
who leaked the document, said it showed UK PM Tony Blair failed to
persuade the US to alter its stance.In the document, US officials make
major changes to the communique.In comments printed in red ink, the US
negotiators express disappointment that earlier concerns have not been
taken on board.
We have tried to ‘tread lightly’ but there is only so far we can go given our fundamental opposition to the German position.

US comments on leaked communique
The
changes strike out entire sentences and significantly reduce the
certainty with which the statement addresses climate change.”The US
still has serious, fundamental concerns about this draft statement,” a
red-inked note reads.”The treatment of climate change runs counter to
our overall position and crosses ‘multiple red lines’ in terms of what
we simply cannot agree to,” it continues.”We have tried to ‘tread
lightly’ but there is only so far we can go given our fundamental
opposition to the German position.”However, in Washington, senior US
lawmakers have written to President Bush expressing their dismay at the
administration’s position, the AFP news agency reports.

US ‘isolated’
Correspondents
say the document hints at a looming struggle over the issue of climate
change at the G8 summit, to be held on 6-8 June in Heiligendamm,
Germany.Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to use Germany’s presidency of
the G8 to secure a major climate change deal, including:

    * Agreement to slow the rise in average temperatures this century to 2C

    * A cut in global emissions by 50% below 1990 levels by 2050

    * A rise in energy efficiency in power and transport by 20 percent by 2020.

Greenpeace Director John Sauven described the US position as “criminal”.
“The
US administration is clearly ignoring the global scientific consensus
as well the groundswell of concern about climate change in the United
States,” he said.Mrs Merkel should make it clear the US was isolated on
the issue among G8 members, he added.Speaking on 24 May, British Prime
Minister Tony Blair suggested the US – could be on the verge of
altering its climate policy.The US has not signed the 2001 Kyoto
Protocol, which sets out targets for lowering emissions until 2012.”I
can’t think that there’s going to be many people running for
presidential office next time round in the US who aren’t going to have
climate change in their programme,” said Mr Blair.”I think it is
possible that we will see action – and at least the beginnings of that
action at the G8 – I hope so. That’s what I’m arguing for.” 

[Author]

May 29, 2007 at 2:35 PM