Cheers or jeers after G8 conference tackles climate change?
Should we be pleased with the outcome of the recent G8 summit on climate control? Should we be relieved that at last something is being done on a global scale to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? I know some political leaders are hailing this as a major step forward, but they are political leaders who have developed the ability to put a positive spin on anything. You only have to listen to Tony Blair telling us how wonderful Iraq is now and how fortunate the Iraqi people are now we have liberated them to know some politician’s words are far removed from reality. Is this the case with the G8 announcement on climate control?
Well, lets look at what has been agreed. President Bush has agreed to “seriously consider” the target of a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Not much of a commitment is it? No agreement to actually do anything. The other big gift Bush gave the world was to agree to the US being party to the UN framework for global climate control as long as India and China were also included in any agreement. This clever little ploy means the two biggest threats to the US economy can be tied into an agreement that can slow their economic growth. On balance, I have to say that there is not much to cheer about. Global warming is happening faster than anyone expected, we are fast approaching the tipping point past which we can no longer have an effect on climate change and the biggest contributors to global warming have agreed to do nothing. At least Europe and Japan are taking measures to reduce their levels of greenhouse gas emissions.
