Conservatives like to use China as an excuse not to do anything serious on global warming. Why impose a cap on greenhouse gas emissions if China won’t?
The counter-argument is that only if we take the lead will China and other developing economies follow. Al Gore made that case in his House testimony back in March.
So, would China really follow our lead on global warming?
Well, they just followed Bush’s.
The Bush administration has long opposed any sort of real emissions cap, only offering nonbinding and weak goals for reducing the rate of emission increases. And this week, Bush will be scuttling Germany’s attempt to establish a cap during the G8 summit.
Now, China released its own global warming plan. And it’s just like Bush’s.
No mandatory cap. Only reducing the rate of emission increases, when actual decreases in emissions are critically needed.
So we know China will follow our lead.
Now we just need an American president who will lead everyone in the right direction.
