In his speech at the White House, the president reiterated his view that the Kyoto Protocol, the global treaty that the United States has signed but never ratified, is a fatally flawed agreement. He said Kyoto was a threat to the U.S. economy and unfair because it does not require developing nations to make a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In the first of two interviews on the President's statement on U.S. policy on global warming, VOA's Rosanne Skirble spoke with David Hawkins, Director of the Climate Center for the National Resources Defense Council, one of the largest environmental groups in the United States. She also spoke with Jerry Taylor, Director, Natural Resource Studies, Cato Instititue. Mr. Hawkins says President Bush is stalling instead of acting to cut global warming pollution, and that the United States, rather than reject the Kyoto Treaty, should embrace it.
"The developed countries of the world are responsible for 75 percent of the accumulated global warming pollution in the atmosphere. The developed countries have built their wealth over the last 100 years on practices that have polluted the planet, and they are responsible for 75 percent of the atmosphere that is in the air today. They also have the greatest amount of wealth in the world and the Kyoto agreement builds on the treaty that the president's father signed in 1992. That treaty said that there are different responsibilities recognized in the Climate Treaty between poor countries and wealth countries. The Kyoto Protocol is consistent with the treaty that his father signed and it is the right way to make progress and take first steps. If we stand back as the wealthiest country in the world and insist that countries like India and China have to make the same commitments that we do, that is a recipe for years of gridlock and the planet cannot afford that."
"What message does the rejection of Kyoto send to the European community and to the rest of the world?"
"His rejection sends the message that the United States is not serious about the global warming problem. He says he is going to ask for more research to be done. He provides no details about even the timing or amount of that research. And, he refuses to take action that could be taken right away. There are things that he has done in the first one hundred days of his presidency that go in the opposite direction. (For example, he recommended) overturning strong efficiency standards for air conditioners, such as cutting the research and development program in the (United States) Department of Energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy. He could have simply said those decisions need to be revisited in light of (his) understanding of the global warming problem. But he didn't do so."
"What from the point of view of the United States environmental community should a U.S. global warming policy look like? What would be a plan?"
"We're (Natural Resources Defense Council) saying there are five things that (President Bush) could announce today.
One, he could announce to limit global warming pollution from electric power plants in the United States.
Two, he could announce an improvement of fuel economy standards for automobiles and other vehicles in the United States.
Three, he could announce a commitment to make renewable energy 20 percent of our nation's energy supplies over the next 20 years.
Four, he could announce increases in energy efficiency programs and support bipartisan legislation that is pending in our Congress that would establish efficiency programs for the building sector, which is one of the biggest consumers of energy in our economy.
And, fifth he could send his negotiators back to the table to participate seriously in the Kyoto agreement and see whether something couldn't be negotiated that would be acceptable to the United States and the other countries of the world."
"Thank you very much."
"President Bush in his remarks rejected the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change. He said the treaty is flawed because it is a threat to the U.S. economy and it is unfair because developing countries are not required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The move angered Europeans who support the treaty. What does the President have to do on this trip to convince Europeans that he is serious about the problem of global warming?"