Bush facing pressure on global warming

The Sentinel , Friday, June 01, 2007
Correspondent : our Correspondent
WASHINGTON, May 31: President George W Bush is under pressure from European allies to give ground on climate change at next week’s meeting of the world’s richest countries, but policy experts say prospects for a breakthrough are slim.

The sticking point is Bush’s longstanding opposition to measurable goals for reducing emissions of the greenhouse gases that spur global warming.

Bush enjoys a strong rapport with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is hosting the Group of Eight summit in the Baltic resort of Heiligendamm on June 6-8 and has made fighting climate change the top issue at the summit.

Combating global warming is also a concern for new French President Nicolas Sarkozy, with whom Bush wants to forge a good relationship, and for outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a close friend to Bush and an ally in the Iraq war.

As negotiators try to hammer out the final language in a communique, the United States has blocked an emerging consensus in favour of firm targets. It is unclear whether a last-minute compromise can be reached.

“I think that there is considerable pressure coming from the Europeans for some type of American concessions on the issue of climate change,” said Charles Kupchan, professor of international relations at Georgetown University. (Agencies)

 
SOURCE : The Sentinel,Friday, June 01, 2007
 


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