Environment Forum
Global environmental challenges
Obama in fuel efficiency driver’s seat
President Bush is pulling out of the race to set the next round of car fuel efficiency standards before his term in office ends. That means President-to-be Obama will decide how fast Detroit should be pushed toward a car and light-truck standard of at least 35 mpg. That’s the goal set by Congress for 2020, but the president gets to decide how fast to move in the phased implementation.
With Detroit drooping, Bush thinks a little breathing room is needed. Environmentalists, meanwhile, are eager for quick action by Obama. The Transportation Department has until April to finalize the 2011-2015 target.
(Picture: Reuters)
Bush speech to U.N.: “terror” 32, “climate” 0
U.S. President George W. Bush upset some delegates by failing to mention “climate change” or “global warming” in his final speech to the United Nations — in which he referred to terrorism 32 times.
Exactly a year ago, the United Nations held a special summit about climate change – U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon calls fighting global warming his “signature issue” and many governments see it as the biggest long-term challenge.
Bush clearly has a lot to worry about such as the global financial crisis, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. Yet while he spoke a lot about terrorism in his speech on Tuesday, he did also refer to other problems such as human rights in Burma, violence in Darfur, the Doha trade round and the fight against malaria.
Climate change didn’t get a mention, even though Bush has called it a “serious problem” and signed up at the Group of Eight nations in Japan in July to a vision of halving world greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. China and the United States are the main emitters of greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels.
“It was a surprise and a shame that President Bush didn’t once mention climate change,” the Norwegian daily Aftenposten quoted Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg as saying, adding that he was pleased that both candidates to succeed Bush in January — Barack Obama and John McCain — were making it a priority.
So was it just Bush, often accused by many of his closest industrial allies of failing to take climate change seriously enough?
Or perhaps it’s impossible to list everything in a speech without making it a dull shopping list of the world’s woes?
The World Wide Leaderships knows WHATS going on On the Earth Problems. Povertys, WARS in Middle East Muslim Nation and Severe Global Warming is here with Us All. IF WE STAND STILL and Do Nothing WE will head down in to UNKNOWN Places that WE dont WANT To Be In.Middle East Muslim Nation if they think they BELIVE In Holy God WAYS of Life they all should HUMBLE THEMSELFS and Respect Mankind Future Journey IN PEACE and Living Harmony To Each Other Way of Life.And STOP killing Inoccent Families World Wide and Create Better Living Standad Amoung themself and Respect Holy God Laws. Severe Global Warming Is here and they Should Stop Spew Out More dangerouse Deadlier Chemicals Out there ATMOSPHERE will Ony kill themself on It.And Make Peace with there BROTHERS In Isreal and The World Wide as are WHOLE.Muslim Nation they All Should Help The World In Clean UP There Atmosphere and The Earth World Atmosphere. WE ALL LIVE TOGETHER ON THIS EARTH AND WE ALL SHOULD MAKE PEACE AND CLEAN UP THE EARTH PROBLEMS AND ALL OUR LIFES AND MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER AS ONE.WE CAN NOT SEAT BACK AND BLAMING EACH OTHERS WHOS DOING THE WRONG THING EVERY TIME.Arctic ICE Is Melting So FAST then Ever Before North POLE Specialy. IF WE dont ACT quickly WE Only Blame Our Self Mostly.Thank You. Future Friend.
Just get it done. 35 mpg by 2012 gives them 3 years and can be done with existing technology (lighter cars, lower hp, efficient diesel and hybrids) and better product line mix – fewer king cabs more sedans. By 2020 the standard should be 50 mpg – like a 1985 Honda CRX-HF.