At the G8 summit in Scotland, President Bush again rejected mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions. But according to an article in the Seattle Times, he may have made a small step in the right direction…
Asked in the interview whether climate change is "manmade," Bush replied, "To a certain extent it is, obviously."
On the other hand, it’s unclear how much weight to give his understanding of the science behind global warming, because:
"I believe we’ll be able to burn coal without emitting any greenhouse gases," he said
It is a basic law of physics that burning coal produces carbon-dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas. No amount of pollution control can change the basic physical reaction (though coal can be burned more efficiently).
Although Bush continues to insist that forcing limits on greenhouse gas emissions would "wreck" the US economy, he is increasingly in the minority. Writing in Britain’s Independent today, California governor and fellow Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger insists that the contrary is true:
Many people have falsely assumed that you have to choose between protecting the environment and protecting the economy. Nothing could be further from the truth… Pollution reduction has long been a money saver for businesses. It lowers operating costs, raises profits and creates new and expanded markets for environmental technology.
