No, not yet:
Asked about the [Supreme Court] decision at a Rose Garden news conference, Bush said, "I have said that it is a serious problem. I recognize that man is contributing greenhouse gases." But solving the problem, he said, must not cut into economic growth.
.......
He also said China and India must join the global warming fight. "Unless there is an accord with China," he said, "China will produce greenhouse gases that will offset anything we do in a brief period of time."
I believe we can fight CO2 and increase economic growth at the same time. But I can see why a person could be skeptical about this. But China? Why place the burden on China when the U.S. is the greatest CO2 pollutant of all? The L.A. article presents a chart that shows U.S. producing 22% of all CO2 emissions in 2004. China is next with 17%.
We are the biggest polluter in the world and we must take the lead in reducing pollution. How on earth can we claim to be world leaders if we do nothing in the face of an expected environmental calamity?
Congress is working on legislation to clean our environment. Will Bush sign the legislation when it eventually comes to his desk? He should if he is "serious" about global warming.
As far as China is concerned, it's true that eventually - about 2015, according to the L.A. Times chart - China will produce more CO2 emissions than the U.S. This, however, is a problem that belongs to Bush. Diplomacy is needed to get China to cooperate with us and with the rest of the world in reducing CO2 emissions. Will the newly born environmentalist appoint a special environmental negotiator to convince China, India and other countries of the extreme importance of reducing CO2 emissions as soon as possible?
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