Blair tried to ditch green policy (global warming)

[baby_bear]

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1391593,00.html

<snip>
Tony Blair's international credibility on climate change was seriously damaged last night as it emerged that the government tried secretly to ditch key global warming targets. Leaked documents seen by The Observer reveal that the UK sought to remove targets that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions during high-level meetings to formulate Europe's climate policy.

At the same time the Prime Minister, who has made tackling climate change a central tenet of his presidency of the G8 nations, was publicly stressing the need for a world commitment to reduce global warming. Blair has described climate change as the greatest problem facing mankind.

The revelations, which have stunned climatologists, are contained in a leaked draft council text on Europe's long-term strategy. They show that senior government officials attempted to remove a commitment for massive cuts in greenhouse gases by 2050 from a European Union agreement.
...
Environmentalists last night accused Blair of 'betrayal.' They claim the UK's attempt to drop ambitious emission targets may have been an attempt to persuade the US to join a climate agreement while Blair holds the EU and G8 presidencies. But rather than trying to strengthen the US commitment to higher targets, it has emerged that the government covertly tried to weaken the European position.

</snip>

This is dismaying, but I should never have given Blair the credit for doing the right thing on the environment in the first place. I feel very stupid.

b_b

[Moderator]

1. Duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1155800