UK Tries to Get US in Carbon Trading Plan

 

May 15 - China Daily; North American ed.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair believes he is close to persuading US President George W. Bush to accept an ambitious plan to bring the world's greatest polluters into a global partnership for the first time to fight climate change.

The plan would involve setting up a network of carbon trading schemes. It's one of five main proposals drawn up by the Germans and British ahead of the G8 summit next month.

The concept of an international agreement involving the G8 industrialized nations and some of the developing but most polluting countries was first mooted by Blair at the G8 summit in Gleneagles in 2005. British officials believe they are now close to securing an outline agreement in time for the June summit in the German seaside resort of Heiligendamm.

Blair wants an agreement before Bush leaves the White House. They are due to hold talks today at the White House during Blair's last official visit to Washington.

Although some environmental groups believe Blair is wasting his time trying to persuade Bush, the president is "changing his thinking" on the issue, according to the prime minister's special envoy on climate change, Elliott Morley.

Apart from the trading schemes, other elements being pressed by the British in the G8 declaration are:

An agreement to stabilize the world temperature rise above pre- industrial levels at no higher than 2 C (4 F), or cut world greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

An agreement to give companies and countries new technology "rewards" if they stopped cutting down forests.

A new program of energy efficiency, modelled on the EU scheme to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by 2020 using simple techniques, such as energy-efficient lightbulbs and green cities.

A new commitment to help poor countries in Africa adapt to the change.

Guardian

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