The United States has rejected any binding targets for reducing greenhouse gases emissions, turning down the deal on climate change proposed by the UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. All efforts by Merkel and Blair to persuade Bush to commit for the reduction has resulted in the US agreeing to seriously consider a goal of cutting emissions.
The US rejection of the proposal has exposed the gulf between the US and other G8 nations. Blair and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel want the G8 to agree for a 50 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. This would help restrict the global warming to 2 degree Celsius.
The G8 Summit 2007 in Heiligendamm had ‘Growth and Responsibility’ as its focus. Global warming and climate protections were the key issues of the summit.
The US wants the two big developing countries-India and China-to be part of any global deal on climate change. China and India account for significant quantities of greenhouse gases emissions but for their developing country status, they are not required to cut their emissions. The US refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol for exclusion of these two significant polluters.
Few days ago, Bush had agreed to join in negotiations for the successor of Kyoto Protocol. The acceptance of the major emitter of greenhouse gases to join talks on a Kyoto successor was seen as a good sign for global efforts to tackle climate change. But many raised doubts on the US intentions dubbing the acceptance to join talks on Kyoto successor as a move to merely delay its realization.
Whether the US is genuinely interested in joining negotiations on Kyoto successor, can be contended. But the US rejection for committing to any fixed cut in carbon dioxide emissions including the latest rejection at the G8 summit prove it without any doubts that Bush is more concerned for its economic growth rather than protecting the planet from climate catastrophe.
If the world’s richest nation does not want to commit for any emission reduction, why does it expect India and China to accept any emissions cap? China has recently declared its climate policy which says it would not tackle the climate change at the expense of its economic growth. India has also expressed similar stand. Though emissions of the two developing nations are significant, per head emissions are low compared with the US per head emissions. After persistent denials to commit to any target for cutting its emissions, can Bush insist for developing nations to cut their emissions?
Image Source: BBC
Source: Telegraph
