No Fixed Climate Goals From G8

My shrinking respect for the Bush administration got an up-tick today with the publication of the G8 Summit's declaration on "Growth and Responsibility in the World Economy," which included a lot of blather about global warming but no fixed limits on greenhouse gases.

The only numeric statement on global warming in the document is this:

In setting a global goal for emissions reductions in the process we have agreed today involving all major emitters, we will consider seriously the decisions made by the European Union, Canada and Japan which include at least a halving of global emissions by 2050. We commit to achieving these goals and invite the major emerging economies to join us in this endeavour.

No specific commitments, limits or policing mechanisms are given; each G8 member is up to its own devices -- and the challenge is also given to India, China, Brazil and other emerging economies to join in the fun.

Elsewhere, the statement addresses global warming largely in the context of the need for energy to maintain global prosperity, the ability of technology and forward planning to address the "crisis," and a preference for free market approaches.

A president Gore would have thrown the out the baby, the bathwater, the tub and the water heater. President Bush dug in his cowboy-booted heels and prevented the Germans from pushing through a global warming strategy that could have resulted in terrible economic consequences.

Bush also scored big on the European missile deal, with Putin saying it would accept missiles in Azerbaijan but not Poland -- an excellent first concession in an ongoing high-level diplomatic dialog.

So all in all, a bump for Bush in Heiligendamm.