Posted on 02/02/2007 10:19:06 AM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Despite a strongly worded global warming report from the world's top climate scientists, the Bush administration expressed continued opposition Friday to mandatory reductions in heat-trapping "greenhouse" gases.
Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman warned against "unintended consequences" — including job losses — that he said might result if the government requires economy-wide caps on carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels.
He and other administration officials at a news conference praised the report Friday by a United Nations-sponsored panel of top climate scientist who said there is little doubt the earth is warming as a result of man-made emissions.
But Bodman said technology advancements that will cut the amount of carbon emissions, promote energy conservation, and hasten development of non-fossil fuels can address the problem.
"We have aggressive but practical solutions," added Stephen Johnson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
More than a half-dozen bills have been introduced, mostly by Democrats, calling for some form of mandatory carbon controls in the United States, which emits a quarter of the earth's carbon dioxide releases into the atmosphere.
Democrats newly in control of Congress and other critics of President Bush's environmental policies pounced on the long-awaited United Nations report like fresh meat.
"Although President Bush just noticed that the earth is heating up, the American public, every reputable scientist and other world leaders have long recognized that global warming is real and it's serious. The time to act is now," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who with GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe (news, bio, voting record) of Maine crafted one of a half-dozen competing bills to address global warming.
Rep. Edward Markey (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., a senior member of House panels on energy and natural resources, said that "for those who are still trying to determine responsibility for global warming, this new U.N. report on climate change is a scientific smoking gun."
The White House issued a statement less than four hours after the report's release defending Bush's six-year record on global climate change, beginning with his acknowledgment in 2001 that the increase in greenhouse gases is due largely to human activity.
It said Bush and his budget proposals have devoted $29 billion to climate-related science, technology, international assistance and incentive programs — "more money than any other country."
Bush has called for slowing the growth rate of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, which averages 1 percent a year, but has rejected government-ordered reductions. Last week he also called for a 20 percent reduction in U.S. gasoline consumption over the next 10 years.
Markey said it will be Congress who will have "to meet this challenge by moving aggressively to transition away from forms of energy which have the capacity to destroy the planet as we know it."
Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation, called it already "past time to act and solve global warming with the urgency and determination with which Americans have successfully confronted other threats to our security and to wildlife."
"This report really provides strong weight behind those saying we need much stronger action" from the United States and other nations, said Robert Watson, the World Bank's chief spokesman on global warming and former chairman of the U.N. scientific panel responsible for evaluating the threat of climate change.
Some evangelical Christians who helped Bush win re-election in 2004 demanded he provide more world leadership on the issue in light of the new U.N. report.
"I am absolutely certain that as Christians we need to act today to curb global warming pollution," said Jim Ball, national coordinator of the Evangelical Climate Initiative and president of the Evangelical Environmental Network.
Tell that to God, whose created life is dependant on the so-called pollutant.
The UN perhaps, but not the EPA. Christie Todd Whitman tried that, but was fired for it.
If bullshit caused global warming, they'd be sun-bathing on the beach in Greenland.
OK, Kick all illegals out. Limit visits by tourist and business men/women. Give it a try for 20 years, see how much CO2 drops. Watch the bastards squeal.
You owe the President an apology ping.....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1767488/posts?page=34#34
Lines from potential President Bush speech.
My fellow Americans. I hate to say this but the Democrats and scientists are correct. The earth is warming at a rate that will in fact destroy this planet in the next 40 years. So, as of tomrrow the following bills will be put forth by the White House:
1. All nuclear and clean coal technologies will be fast tracked to be implemented during my last two years of office. All parcels of land that have been designated for leasing will get my signature dated tomorrow. All incomplete environmental studies will be completed by the end of next week and all lawsuits will be set aside pending pending further study.
2. All Alaska, gulf coast and other domestic oil production facilities will be shut down in the next 15 years. However, before that can happen, newer facilities for refining oil in a cleaner manner as well as smaller footprints for drilling oil will be built to ensure we can meet the needs of our country for the next 15 years.
3. Any proposals for windfarms will also be fasttracked with the model being the new windfarm off the coast of Nantucket bay. We should thank Senator Kennedy and Congressman Markey for offering up this parcel on behalf of the people of Massachusettes for this historic milestone in our energy history.
4. Tomorrow I will offer to all energy companies upwards of 20 billion dollars in credits to make this happen over the next two years as well as allocate part of that funding for training and relocation expenses to those that are unemployed and are willing to work.
5. Included with these proposals, US oil companies purchasing oil from nations not supporting Democray will be taxed at 100% which will help fund even newer and cleaner technologies. Senator Clinton has declared that when she is President she will tax our profits. I am giving you a choice what to do with your profits.
Finally, for six years whining, sniveling liberal weenies have blasted my energy policies because I am a Republican. So to make everything equal, all research and funding dollars for science, AIDS, Stem cells and other "causes" will be abandoned and used instead to support this energy drive as per the Democrats.
Thank you.
Only by a retard. There'd be no life on earth without it.
Hey Longface, you don't speak for me.
Stop wasting my time.
Eat shyte EU.
I would like one of these nuts to show the scientific proof that their hypothesis that man causes global warming is true. Just one. Correlation is not causation.
The Earth is warming, that's a fact. Been warming for the last 15,000 years, since the end of the last ice age. Man causing it, that's not a scientific fact.
BTW: Anyone know why the last ice age melted?
They're not, they just hope you are.
I already apologized. Now go away.
As I recall, the Senate vote for the Kyoto treaty was 95 - 0.
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