Markey: Bush's Recycled Climate Rhetoric No Substitute for Action
Contact: Select Committee, 202-225-4081
Markey: Bush’s Recycled Climate Rhetoric No Substitute for Action
President Must Support Binding Caps on Dangerous Pollutions, Not ‘Aspirational’, ‘Procrastinational’ Goals
WASHINGTON (September 28, 2007) – After personally listening to the President’s speech on global warming this morning at the State Department, Chairman Edward J. Markey expressed disappointment that a week of administration attention to global warming had produced little more than recycled rhetoric.
The President had gathered the top 17 global warming emitters—including the United States—this week to discuss global warming solutions, but he chose to skip the climate summit at the United Nations on Monday. The UN is considered the major organizing body for international climate action.
Below is the statement of Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming:
“The only environmental ideal the President seems committed to is recycling rhetoric. After a week of attention to the issue of global warming, the President is no closer to supporting mandatory targets for reducing heat-trapping pollution, and he is no closer to admitting that carbon dioxide is a pollutant that threatens our planet.
“For these countries meeting with the President, this must have felt like attending a prayer session led by an atheist.
“The President is opposing mandatory caps on greenhouse gases, opposing a mandatory 10 mpg increase in cars and trucks, opposing a national renewable electricity standard, opposing state efforts to cut emissions from cars, and pushing for new sources of dangerous pollution from liquid coal. His efforts to protect the oil industry from Democratic efforts to close unneeded tax loopholes is impeding the transition to a renewable future. Does he support the Energy bill pending in Congress? No. Has he declared CO2 a dangerous threat to the public and the planet? No.
“For now, he still seems satisfied to reuse rhetoric and run out the clock on his administration without taking any measurable action to save the planet. These ‘aspirational’ goals are merely ‘procrastinational’ distractions, which will end up leaving all of us dangerously ‘perspirational’ as temperatures rise around the world.”
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PLEASE NOTE: The House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming was created to explore American clean energy solutions that end our reliance on foreign oil and reduce carbon pollution.
The Select Committee was active during the 110th and 111th Congresses. This is an archived version of the website, to ensure that the public has ongoing access to the Select Committee record. This website, including external links, will not be updated after Jan. 3rd, 2010.
The Select Committee was active during the 110th and 111th Congresses. This is an archived version of the website, to ensure that the public has ongoing access to the Select Committee record. This website, including external links, will not be updated after Jan. 3rd, 2010.
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