Catherine Jacob
Environment correspondent

Far be it from anyone to suggest, in these dying days of his administration, that President Bush might be a little desperate to rescue his legacy on climate change, but environmentalists across the world could be forgiven for questioning George W's reasons for making a keynote speech on the subject on Wednesday.

Nonetheless, whatever his motives, the President appeared to have taken a little step in the right direction, with the highlight of his speech, a call for a halt in US greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

Unfortunately, he seemed to lack any specific solutions as to how to go about it, or indeed any firm figures at all.

He spoke of the importance of new technologies, of nuclear power, renewable energy and of course, biofuels (America's new green gold).

However, crucially, he failed to cite any specific percentages by which he hoped to cut the emissions of the world's second biggest green house gas emitter by 2025.

Without targets, arguably, emissions are unlikely to fall far. And if anyone was hoping for a commitment to lead the world in a post Kyoto agreement, when it expires in 2012, those hopes were, unsurprisingly, in vain.

Typically dismissive of Kyoto, President Bush gave numerous plugs to this weekend's Major Economies meeting being held in Paris.

That's a group of 16 of the world's biggest emitters - China and India included - which the US decided to set up, some would claim, to rival Kyoto.

The United States, of course, remains the only developed country not to have siged up to the Protocol.

On the thorny subject of binding emissions - which caused so much angst at the UN's Bali climate change conference in December - President Bush reiterated that he was was willing to include the United States in a binding international agreement, just as long as their fellow major economies were also willing to do so.

In other words, if China and India (which are considered to be developing nations under Kyoto) do not sign up to binding targets, the US won't either. So there.

The content of the speech is unlikely to impress the environmental lobby and other nations, who have already declared binding emissions reductions targets, are probably not particularly thrilled at the President's attempt to "urge" other countries to follow America's example and develop personal plans to cut their own CO2 footprints.

His proposals also fall far short of those of the three Presidential candidates, all of whom support a cap and trade emissions system similar to the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme. But apparently George hasn't ruled that out altogether.

He ended his speech with a flourish, saying he was confident that his country's policies on climate change and new technologies will "continue to amaze the world".

Judging by his past record on the environment, there's surely little doubt of that.

Comments

[Alan, Cork 23 Apr 2008 15:35:44]

So continue to pollute the world with inpunity anyway and do what people typically do when something goes bad and it's too late; blame someone else.....so it's not an urgent, all consuming problem YET....why not stop or at least slow it down before it becomes one? No point bleating about being unable to go outside without protective suits after the effect is it?

I cycle everywhere just because I like it and it keeps me fit but I wear a pollution filter, good things it's a washable one as it's black after a couple of days!!! That could have gone into my lungs and who can tell me that'd be good for me?

[John from sussex,uk 17 Apr 2008 17:36:22]

What a typically sneering piece from this Catherine Jacob who obviously cant see the forest for the trees(maybe shes chained herself to one!?)The kyoto treaty is a cop out which would do nothing for america but ruin its economy so good for dubya!,one day we will all wake up and realise we have been had and that it has all been one big green scam to relieve us of even more cash!
Can we look forward to the day that all this doom-mongery nonsense from the eco loons will end?...i really do hope so but im not holding my breath.

[Julian Pratt. UK 17 Apr 2008 16:31:44]

I think its a bit unfair to suggest he doesnt keep his word. I tend to feel he will actually do something if he feels its right.

So i sense a massive change here, bearing in mind he has been pushing for the USAF to fly on biofuel, i think he's greener than people give him credit.

Let alone the investment he made 2 years ago over over $2bn in technology to develop new fuels etc.

I think some credit is due..

[Joe90 17 Apr 2008 16:01:44]

Well done Bush. At least he's not letting a few rabid greenies brainwash his economy - as it is doing in Britain. Bush needs to stay firm and stick with the facts and not be swayed by some psuedo science which is yet unproven. In the UK the past 5 years have been the coldest for 80 years. Where's the warming ?

[Oliver, UK 17 Apr 2008 15:35:54]

When will the world wake up and listen to the legions of scientists out there who are screaming out that Global Warming is caused by cosmic rays and not CO2? Before you shout me down as a heretic - go and research it. The IPCC and their environmentalist crowd have vested interests in keeping the current status-quo. Warming is real - but it must be seen in the context of a natural cycle that humans have nothing to do with.

[nigel, Kent 17 Apr 2008 15:01:55]

If the USA falls for all this CO2 hype as well, then there will be an almighty RECESSION and the climate will not stop doing what it has been doing for millions of years anyway.

[Jsaunders Dubai 17 Apr 2008 14:12:58]

With utility bills rising by 30%
and major European companies committing to have a carbon neutral footprint, American companies that export technology will need to review their power consumption and also carbon levels if they want to win business they have taken for granted in the past. Failure to take action will effect their exports and economy

[Jon, Bath UK 17 Apr 2008 12:12:40]

Another silly little anti-American piece. Bush is simply being a prudent caretaker of the western economy. He has seen through the MMGW hysteria, which with new evidence is beginning to fray at the edges in spite of last ditch efforts of the anti-capitalist fringe who are seriously missing communism after the Berlin wall came down.