G-8 Nations Make Fig-Leaf Deal on Climate Change

The G-8 Summit held in Germany needed some kind of action on climate change for the domestic political benefit of most of the leaders present. Mr. Bush was not one of them. He turned up to ensure that nothing happened on climate change on his watch. The result was a compromise in which all parties got what they wanted by fudging language rather than agreeing to action. Thus does diplomacy operate.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who’s hosting the 3-day shindig, told the press shortly after the meeting began that a deal had been arranged. “In terms of targets, we agreed on clear language ... that recognizes that [rises in] CO2 emissions must first be stopped and then followed by substantial reductions.” Now, the big breakthrough that she and her fellow faintly green leaders can point to is the decision by the Bush administration to admit that there is a problem in the first place. After six years of denying that the world is heating up, and that the consumption of oil (provided by Friends of Dad Bush) has rather a lot to do with it, admitting the truth passes for triumph for the other leaders.

Mr. Bush, who announced his own non-plan a few days ago, managed to prevent a numerical target from appearing in the final language of the agreement. The EU believes that a 50% reduction is necessary from current levels to keep the world from warming up 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Many scientists think that is a crucial temperature beyond which “bad things will happen.” Note, the final deal says “substantial reductions” and not “50% reductions.” Mr. Bush wins because he can define anything at all as “substantial,” including increases that are smaller than forecasts.

Neil Adger of Britain’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research caught this finessing of the text, pointing out to Reuters, “Agreeing on a numerical target is a significant first step, and not taking that first step is going to condemn us to a lot of pain and suffering in terms of the impacts of climate change.” Phil Clapp, head of the Washington-based National Environmental Trust, agreed, “Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Blair are trying to portray this as a strong agreement, but President Bush didn’t give them an inch. The best they could get from him was a statement that their 50 percent by 2050 emissions reduction proposal would be ‘seriously considered.’ That's a pretty tiny landmark.”

Tinier still is Mr. Bush’s proposal for moving forward. Last week, he suggested that the top 15 carbon dioxide emitting nations get together and set a long-term goal with each nation deciding for itself how much it would contribute to reductions. There are 592 more days of the Bush administration, so serious engagement on the part of the US in the matter is at least that far off. As a result, the fig-leaf in Germany was the best the G-8 could achieve. Perhaps Mr. Bush thinks the frosty relations he has created with Russia will keep the world cool.

© Copyright 2007 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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