The prez, NASA and climate change: Whose job?
Lots of furor today about President Bush's proposal for 15 major nations to agree by the end of next year on a global target for reducing greenhouse gases.
"The president outlined his proposal in a speech ahead of next week's summit in Germany of leading industrialized nations, where global warming is to be a major topic and Bush will be on the spot," the Associated Press reports.
Environmental groups called the proposal a charade. Said National Environmental Trust president Philip Clapp: "This is a transparent effort to divert attention from the president's refusal to accept any emissions reductions proposals at next week's G-8 summit. After sitting out talks on global warming for years, the Bush administration doesn't have very much credibility with other governments on the issue. "
Meanwhile, the head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration tells NPR today that he's not sure climate change is such a bad thing. Asked why NASA isn't doing more to combat global warming, NASA Administrator Michael Griffin told NPR:
"I have no doubt that … a trend of global warming exists. I am not sure that it is fair to say that it is a problem we must wrestle with. To assume that it is a problem is to assume that the state of Earth's climate today is the optimal climate, the best climate that we could have or ever have had and that we need to take steps to make sure that it doesn't change. First of all, I don't think it's within the power of human beings to assure that the climate does not change, as millions of years of history have shown. And second of all, I guess I would ask which human beings — where and when — are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings. I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take.''
To read the full AP story on the president's proposal, click on:
To hear the full NPR interview with NASA boss Michael Griffin, click on:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10571499
--Craig Pittman
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