Posted by
Always To The Right on Sunday, December 30, 2007 9:06:56 PM
Bali did not pave the way
for addressing global warming. It was merely a picturesque setting for
an elaborate kabuki dance wherein countries testified to their great
concern over global warming while calling for action that few nations
will implement and setting the stage for future negotiations.
Thankfully, the U.S. delegation successfully blocked the most
unrealistic proposals while insisting on incorporating real-world
realities like the increasing role played by the developing world in
greenhouse gas emissions.
However, the specter of
what could result from future negotiations under the next
administration is a serious concern, and the U.S. would have been far
better off to have stood by its principles; refused to join consensus
on the Bali Action Plan; and pursued more flexible, effective
strategies to address global warming. In future negotiations, the U.S. should continue to block onerous, politically untenable measures while continuing its efforts to find more flexible, effective, and market-friendly strategies to address global warming.