US 'rebuffs' carbon cuts plan

US 'rebuffs' carbon cuts plan
26/05/2007
Telegraph UK

Tony Blair has failed to win over George Bush on climate change, environmentalists claimed last night, after a leaked draft of a G8 summit proposal disclosed serious US concerns.

Protesters erect a banner reading: 'Fences do not protect against greenhouse gas' outside the venue for the upcoming G8 summit

The Prime Minister had expressed optimism that Washington would sign up to "at least the beginnings" of action at the meeting next month.

Tough measures to cut greenhouse gases are a priority for the German G8 presidency and the US President said he wanted to be "part of the solution" after recent talks with Mr Blair. But Greenpeace said the document - in which the US says the proposal "crosses multiple red lines" - proved America was determined to resist tough action on the issue.

Headed with a blunt statement of "serious, fundamental concerns", the US revision went on: "The majority of our comments on the previous draft have not been addressed and some new, problematic text has been added.The treatment of climate change runs counter to our overall position and crosses multiple 'red lines' in terms of what we simply cannot agree to."

Proposals on "fighting climate change" and "carbon markets" were "fundamentally incompatible with the President's approach", it warned.

advertisementJohn Sauven, the Greenpeace director, attacked the "criminal" stance and urged the other G8 nations to push ahead with agreement on binding targets for future reductions in greenhouse gases.

"This remarkable statement shows more clearly than ever that despite his protestations to the contrary, Tony Blair's efforts to persuade George Bush of the urgency of the climate change issue have singularly failed.

"The US administration is clearly ignoring the global scientific consensus as well the groundswell of concern about climate change in the United States. Bush's attempts to obstruct any meaningful agreement at the G8 summit in June are as criminal as they are expected."

He said Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, should make it "crystal clear" that the US was isolated.

Asked about the situation on BBC2's Newsnight on Thursday, Mr Blair said: "I think it is possible that we will see action - and at least the beginnings of that action at the G8 - I hope so. That's what I'm arguing for."