Bush Addresses G8 Climate Change Goals

President Bush today addressed the climate change policy to be discussed in Germany during the G8 Conference next week. Rumors that the United States disagrees with the proposed emission reduction goals of G8 host nation Germany have been publicized for days leading up to the meeting.

In his speech, President Bush proposed expanding the G8 climate change talks to include more nations, especially China and India. "By the end of next year, America and other nations will set a long-term global goal for reducing greenhouse gases. To help develop this goal, the United States will convene a series of meetings of nations that produce most greenhouse gas emissions, including nations with rapidly growing economies like India and China.

"In addition to this long-term global goal, each country would establish midterm national targets, and programs that reflect their own mix of energy sources and future energy needs. Over the course of the next 18 months, our nations would bring together industry leaders from different sectors of our economies, such as power generation and alternative fuels and transportation. These leaders will form working groups that will cooperate on ways to share clean energy technology and best practices."

President Bush mentioned that technology is the way to meet the challenge of global climate change. During the Bush administration, the United States has invested over 12 billion dollars in research on clean energy technology. Eliminating tariffs and other barriers on clean energy technology are important issues the President wants to be addressed.

President Bush highlighted the blend of technologies required to meet emission goals for reducing climate change; solar, wind, nuclear, bio-fuels and clean coal technologies. He also stated the 20 in 10 initiative will reduce gasoline consumption by twenty percent by requiring 35 billion gallons of renewable or alternate fuels by 2017.

With the 20 in 10 initiative and increased federal funding of clean energy research, the United States is taking a leading role in developing climate change solutions. President Bush wants the G8 and other nations to increase investment in clean energy research and help provide access to clean energy technologies to poorer nations through low cost loans.

The challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of 1990 levels is enormous. The emphasis President Bush placed on sharing technologies and eliminating tariffs on clean energy technologies may be key to meeting that challenge.

Source: www.whitehouse.gov