Since taking office, one of Bush’s many sins has been his staunch opposition to doing anything substantive about global warming in the face of thousands of studies showing the reality of climate change as a result of man-made emissions. His refusal to lead on this issue has been particularly infuriating to both progressive Americans and the rest of the world given the US’s position of creating 25% of the world’s pollution while having only 10% of its population.
Evidence is mounting that Bush may be about to make a major U-turn on his global warming stance. First came the surprise announcement that his administration intended to place polar bears on the endangered species list due to disappearing arctic ice they need to survive (and if there’s anything that can raise American consciousness about global warming, it’s the thought of the cuddly Coca-Cola polar bears going extinct). Now comes word from Downing Street (UK) sources that Bush is preparing to make a drastic change to his position on global warming when he gives his next State of the Union speech later this month. Speculation is that he will for the first time accept some kind of cap on emissions, and that may pave the way to a post-Kyoto Protocol international agreement that includes the US.
If true this would be pretty unbelievable. 2007 is already shaping up to be the year where the world made a drastic turning point on the issue of global warming. From the sudden leadership being seen from corporations to a Republican governor of California mandating emissions caps to now possibly the news on Bush, the issue of climate change is being put front and center before the American people.
It’s about damn time, and not a moment too soon.
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