Tag: President George W. Bush

President Bush will lay out his “principles” on climate change at a press conference today. Many are saying that he is finally trying to make an attempt to stay relevant when the movement in congress heading toward legislation regulating carbon emissions. But neither the president nor congress are making the steps that James Hansen says are necessary to avert catastrophic climate change. With James Hansen setting the goal at 350 ppm, the movement in the federal government is more of a budge than a step.

Coal is the number one target. Coal generates approximately 40% of the world’s electricity

On Sept 27th-28th, Bush called a meeting of the world’s biggest polluters to talk about voluntary caps on carbon emissions and "clean coal." CCAN supporters were on hand to proclaim our own message: “George Bush does not speak for us. We want clean energy now!“

Just when you thought George Bush couldn’t possibly isolate himself any more on global warming, he goes and hosts an embarrassing charade of a climate conference, bringing together 17 leading emitters in order to preach the virtues of voluntary actions. It was a shameless ploy, as even the mainstream media were quick to point out.

Thankfully, hundreds of protestors were on hand to call him out.

Folks from all over the DC region came together outside the State Department last Friday to remind Bush of the reality he so recklessly chooses to ignore; and I don’t just mean the reality of melting ice caps and threatened species, I also mean the reality that he’s out of touch with the American public. He doesn’t speak for us, pure and simple.

It was a great rally. There were speeches from local climate and social justice leaders such as Van Jones, Ted Glick, Jamie Henn and Mike Tidwell. Live music was provided by Luci Murphy. The media were there in force. A polar bear even showed up. Together, we sent Bush a strong message: that his criminal negligence on climate change is no longer acceptable.

Instead of useless voluntary measures, we were there to demand an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We were there to demand a new direction. Most of all, we came out to represent all citizens who know that nothing short of mandatory reductions is good enough.

I learned from the BBC today that President Bush has invited the UN and EU plus 15 of the world’s leading economies to join him September 27-28 to talk about climate change. Bush of course is asking for the big emitters to enter into a gentleman’s agreement about voluntary reductions, which is the same plan he mentioned at the G8 back in June. Bush also claims that “this would then contribute to a global agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change by 2009.” This treaty would replace Kyoto. Let’s see- Bush hates the Kyoto Protocol and he doesn’t believe in mandatory limits on emissions.

The Washington Post published an article yesterday reporting that the House passed an epic energy bill on Saturday that includes a 15% renewable energy standard. The bill passed 241 to 172 and also includes:

• more energy efficiency in appliances, buildings and power grids, which proponents of the bill say would reduce carbon dioxide emissions and electricity use
• more energy efficiency measures in the Capitol building
• grants for studies to promote ethanol pipelines
• installation of pumps for 85 percent ethanol fuel at gas stations
• production of cellulosic ethanol.

According to the Post:

The House last night also passed, 221 to 189, a companion tax package, totaling nearly $16 billion, that targets the oil and gas industry. In a letter to Congress, however, the Bush administration said Friday that the two House measures would result in less domestic oil and gas production. The letter said President Bush‘s senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bills.

Here is what did not make it to the bills, which may occur later this year in a reconciliation of House and senate energy bills, or in a global warming bill:

• other mandates for renewable energy
• incentives for coal-to-liquid production (thank GOD- that stuff has twice the CO2 emissions of gasoline)
• tougher vehicle fuel-economy standard (heavily opposed by UAW)

cross-posted at www.local-warming,blogspot.com