Blair: US may back carbon deal

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Source: BBC

The US may be willing to back an agreement at next month's G8 summit on cutting carbon dioxide emissions, Tony Blair has said on BBC TV.

Up to now, the Bush administration has championed voluntary agreements as an alternative to imposing binding caps. The prime minister said awareness of the issue among Americans was growing and it was possible the US will sign up to "at least the beginnings" of action.

Speaking on the BBC's Newsnight programme, Mr Blair was asked how he was going to persuade President George W Bush to agree to national impose limits on CO2. "You've got several of the states now doing it," Mr Blair said. "I can't think that there's going to be many people running for presidential office next time round in the US who aren't going to have climate change in their programme."

He added: "I think it is possible that we will see action - and at least the beginnings of that action at the G8 - I hope so. That's what I'm arguing for."

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6690191.stm