Hot Air




Sunday, February 17, 2002; Page B06


THERE WAS more air than substance in the global warming policy President Bush outlined last week, a disappointing program that aims too low, asks too little and waits too long to assess the need for tougher action. The president spoke of America's commitment "to stabilize atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate," but set a goal to slow, not stop, the growth in U.S. emissions during the next 10 years. In fact, the goal he set isn't far from what the economy would be likely to achieve without any government intervention. Having cashiered Kyoto, an ambitious but flawed international protocol aimed at controlling climate change, Mr. Bush has replaced it with . . . not much at all.

It's right to keep economic growth as a priority; prosperity, as Mr. Bush declared, "is what allows us to commit more and more resources to environmental protection." But what's needed here is balance; after all, severe climatic turbulence could do more to harm the economy than environmental regulation. The president offered no convincing evidence to rebut the contention that economic growth could coincide with more ambitious goals to protect the environment.

What's more, Mr. Bush offered no binding steps to make sure that even his modest goal is reached. He would rely on a mix of exhortation and tax incentives to encourage companies to voluntarily reduce emissions. He referred to mandatory programs that have an effect on emissions, such as auto fuel efficiency standards, but his administration has yet to come up with any concrete proposals for raising those standards, and he has endorsed a House energy bill that falls far short of what could be done in that respect. He proposed to improve the existing registry in which companies can report their emissions. Mandatory reporting could help spur improvements simply by exposing big emitters to public scrutiny: The EPA's registry of toxic emissions has had that effect. But under Mr. Bush's plan, even participating in the registry remains voluntary.

The president said Thursday that he's convinced his program will bring real improvements. If that turns out to be wrong, he said, "the United States will respond with additional measures." But he's leaving those decisions for somebody else: He calls for a review of progress in 2012, well after he'll be out of office even if he seeks and wins a second term. Meanwhile he continues to emphasize the uncertainties that exist in the science of climate change. He's right to acknowledge that questions remain to be answered, and to support, as his program does, more research into science and improved technology. But it's wrong to use those questions as an excuse for sticking so closely to business as usual. The longer the nation waits to initiate action, the more extreme will be the needed solutions. The president has a responsibility to protect the economy but also one to protect Americans, to the extent possible, from the potential long-term consequences of climate change. This policy falls short; Congress now should step in and take on the responsibility that Mr. Bush has shirked.



© 2002 The Washington Post Company