APEC Emissions-Trading Plan Scuttled - US Representative Calls For More Research - AFP

[hatrack]

Hopes of launching an Asia Pacific-wide carbon emissions trading scheme were dashed Tuesday when a senior US official rejected the scheme while Australia said it was too early to set targets.

But Australia could introduce its own emissions trading system to tackle global warming by 2011, if Prime Minister John Howard adopts a blueprint to be handed to him later this week, a report revealed.

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) energy ministers meeting Tuesday in the Australian city of Darwin on Tuesday are unlikely to discuss an international scheme, Australia's Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said.

He and US Energy Department representative Clay Sell agreed before the meeting, aimed at seeking a delicate balance between energy supply and climate change, that more research was needed before emissions targets can be set. "The challenge at the moment is not to set targets, it is to actually have the technology to achieve targets," Macfarlane told reporters.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2007/070529040714.f3dukhc6.html

[htuttle]

1. "We've always hated Bangladesh anyway," added US DoE representative Clay Sell

[razzleberry]

2. the willing, need to go first

expecting the unwilling to lead
the charge, is not logical

[hatrack]

3. Looks like we'll be waiting around a long time then, doesn't it?

China? No.
India? No.
Australia? No.
Canada? No.
The United States? (choking back muffled laughter)

[phantom power]

4. But we're all researching the *shit* out of this problem. So it's all good.

:eyes:

[Nihil]

5. Have any major polluting nations said "yes"?

If not, we might as well wait for the inevitable crash as those five
alone will offset (pardon the pun) any benefit from smaller countries
who do the right thing.

Bring on the meteorite!