Smoggy thinking

Call it the U.S. Hot Air Act. Having been spanked like a schoolyard bitch by the U.S. Supreme Court on environmental policy, George W. stepped into the White House Rose Garden and announced his administration was “taking action” toward a cleaner environment. Meanwhile, U.S. negotiators are working overtime trying to neuter a climate change declaration to be signed at next month’s G8 meeting.

The Bush administration’s first issue with the G8 pledge, “Growth and Responsibility in the World Economy,” came with its opening sentences, which state that signatories see “tackling climate change an imperative, not a choice.” The affronts to Bush ideology continued with a promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and call for setting target energy efficiency levels.

“The administration is proposing to eliminate any statement that acting on global warming is urgent and all measures that will begin to reduce global warming pollution,” said Phillip Clapp of the National Environmental Trust advocacy group. Preferring to keep their promises off the books, the administration is also against the inclusion of any efficiency targets in the document, as well as a section recognizing the U.N. as an acceptable forum for climate change discussion.

by SCOTT SAXON