Governments talk but don’t act re global warming

[Martin W]

In the past few days, the US, China and Australian governments – long among the big resistors to doing anything re the issue – have said there's a need to act to reduce global warming. Trouble is, none of them seems really committed to action. There's curious, wrong-headed notion that global warming looks bad, but it's ok to continue business as usual. The house is burning down, but no matter, we'll still add fuel to the fire. In US, George Bush maybe looked to have seen the light re warming; but seems he figures all we need is talk and technology.

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Bush envisions voluntary goals, but gave no indication what the U.S. reduction target might be or how it might be achieved.

Bush's half-measure: His global-warming plan too little, too late China has announced it will act re warming – but only if doing so doesn't harm economic progress. Barking mad, really; for if don't act, Chinese government surely knows very well that warming will massively impact business: China, more than many countries, prone to massive floods and droughts. Against which, likely also fearful of social upheavals should economic progress slow: between rock and hard place.

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China went on the global warming offensive on Monday, unveiling a climate change action plan while stressing it will not sacrifice economic ambitions to international demands to cut greenhouse gas pollution. The official launching the plan said emissions caps that dented growth in poor nations would do more damage than climate change itself — despite the storms, droughts and rising sea levels that global warming threatens to generate. … "China will not commit to any quantified emissions reduction targets, but that does not mean we will not assume responsibilities in responding to climate change," he told reporters.

China says climate policy must make room for growth

In Australia, prime minister John Howard has held out against doing anything re warming, even though Australia has fragile environment. He has lately changed his tune somewhat, but sees no need to do anything just yet.

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Howard, who has spent much of the past 11 years in power playing down the risks of global warming, said on Sunday that dealing with climate change would be the most momentous economic decision Australia would take in the next decade. He said his government would implement a carbon trading scheme by 2012, but will not disclose targets for reducing emissions until 2008, after the next election.

Global warming overheats Australian politics

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