Earth Summit Leaves Bush Behind

Discuss this on our boards!

Earth Summit Leaves Bush Behind
by James Hall, Senior Associate Editor

September 4, 2002

"Leaning Left"

James Hall Like President Bush, I've been on vacation for the past two weeks. Unlike Mr. Bush, however, I've been concerned about humanity's future and am wondering why the President can't join world leaders in South Africa to work on the future of our planet.

His father did. Ten years ago in Rio, President George H. W. Bush committed this country to reducing our dependence on greenhouse gases. His voluntary plan to reduce gases should have cut them back to pre-1990 levels. Instead, American levels of greenhouse gases are now 16% higher than in 1990.

Unfortunately there's been no follow-through by Congress, much of the American people, and Bush's own son, who seems to be more interested in using environmental disasters like this summer's forest fires to bolster industry profits than the future of the planet. Congress could have done its part by raising CAFE standards for automobile emissions for light trucks and SUVs to levels already mandated for sedans, but hasn't.

The South African Earth Summit shows just how disastrous this administration's environmental policy actually is. Instead of working with other industrial nations to reduce pollution, the United States' government's position is to drag its feet and hope that private industry polices itself. This same policy, created for Texas by Governor George W. Bush, made Texas the most-polluted state in the nation.

Fortunately Americans are acting on their own in the leadership vacuum formed by the administration. California Governor Davis recently signed a bill raising CAFE standards in California within a decade. Over a dozen states have signed and proposed legislation which bring many American cities and states into compliance with standards created by the Kyoto Protocol.

Mr. President, your absence in South Africa is a disgrace. It's time for you to lead, follow, or get out of the way on the environment. The future of our planet demands it. ***

Photo of the author courtesy of staff files