Warming's bad guys made good

The latest moves by China and Bush should be welcomed as new awareness of the need for joint action.

from the June 5, 2007 edition

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This has diminished the European Union's moral credibility on global warming and cast a cloud over negotiations for a new United Nations treaty on climate change that start in December.

In the US, more action is happening at the state and local levels than in Washington. In the House, the ruling Democrats under pressure from lobbyists appear to be delaying tough moves on CO2 emissions until next year or later. This despite one poll that finds two-thirds of Americans want to take action now even if stricter regulations will cost businesses more.

Beijing, too, faces resistance from local officials who have long been rewarded for maximizing economic growth. Targets set in 2001 on energy efficiency are faltering. Only the top Chinese leaders seem to understand that sustainable development will require that China not contribute to global warming. This long-term view will take time to seep down, but it could be one of the main legacies of President Hu Jintao.

These latest steps by China and the US come a decade after the 1997 Kyoto treaty – which they didn't join. Even now, they want to avoid obligating themselves to a new United Nations treaty. They put more faith in promoting efficient technology and renewable energy sources than in mandates to reduce CO2 or a tax on carbon use.

As evidence of global warming's impact becomes irrefutable, the wide disparity between voluntary and involuntary action may lessen. Each nation may then more easily see its own good in the greater good. Most nations may be eager to join a global campaign and to bear the necessary burdens.

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