Britain Will Urge US States To Ignore Bush, Join EU Carbon Trading Independently - Reuters

[hatrack]

BRITAIN is to spearhead a new drive against climate change by bypassing President George W.Bush and urging US states to join directly with Europe's carbon trading scheme. British Environment Secretary David Miliband and other MPs will travel to the US in a fortnight for talks with states and the Democratic-controlled Senate, which back limits on US greenhouse gas emissions. The British Government hopes nine northeastern states and California can eventually join the European Union's carbon trading scheme in the first step towards a global operation. The schemes are likely to prove far more effective by being combined.

Britain's campaign came as French President Jacques Chirac made a bid to take up leadership in the international debate on greenhouse gases.

EDIT

Despite goodwill on both sides, the issue is fraught with difficulties, with the European Commission still having to resolve various legal problems. Although there are signs Mr Bush is finally beginning to shift ground, in recognising climate change as a "serious problem" in his State of the Union speech last month, he still opposes capping carbon emissions. Mr Miliband will address the Washington Legislators Forum, which has been convened to take advantage of the opportunity created by the Democratic takeover of Congress last month.

Stephen Byers, the former trade secretary, will lead a discussion on how the US states that have already set limits on greenhouse gases could be invited into the EU scheme. He said last night: "Some of the proposals will bypass the White House, others will engage with sympathetic Republicans. We are seeking to put pressure on President Bush."

EDIT

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21171670-401,00.html

[cui bono]

1. Nice. Wasn't it the Kyoto Resolution that a lot of them adopted, or maybe that was cities...