Britian Wants US, China to Change Approach on Global Warming

The British envoy for climate change has asked the United States and China to change the way they approach the issue of global warming and climate change.

This appeal to the top two fossil fuel burners comes about a month before the G-8 countries gather in Germany for a planned summit to discuss a variety of issues including climate change.

Elliot Morley, speaking in Hong Kong on his way to Beijing, said all the G-8 countries must work together in creating new goals for reducing carbon emissions before the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

The G-8 summit is a meeting of the worlds top economic countries, and a major discussion on global warming and climate change is set to dominate this meeting which takes place June 6-8.

The latest UN report about global warming states the world must take immediate action on climate change, or the world may suffer from severe consequences.

Morley said that last year's Stern Report, which stressed the economic cost of climate change, left the United States and China with no choice but to act.

Morley said the reason President Bush did not sign the Kyoto Pact is because the economic implications that may come from this pact are far greater than what the US can afford. Morley went on to say is what the Stern report really shows in the US cannot afford to stay idle on the issue of climate change and global warming.

Morley also said the G-8 members really need to get the US on board with the Kyoto Protocol, and that China really needs to get involved also if any progress is going to be made.

Morley feels a big change in US policy towards global warming is inevitable after the 2008 Presidential elections, but he thinks President Bush is starting to come around on the serious issue of US involvement in helping reduce greenhouse gases.

As part of his Asian trip, Mr. Morely is scheduled to meet with the Chinese parliament to discuss how China should be taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the rapid growth of China's economy.

Morley said the pace and scale of China's economic growth is gigantic, and because of this huge growth China needs to take advantage of building a strong economy based on the latest technology. Mr. Morley does not feel China is 'seizing the moment' when it comes to using technological advances to grow their economy while reducing carbon emissions at the same time.

However he said that China, which is expected to soon overtake the United States as the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, was not "adverse" to tackling climate change.

During a speech organized by the Civic Exchange think-tank and the British Consulate-General, Mr. Morley said Gordon Brown, who is expected to succeed Blair as premier after the G8 meeting, plans to pursue environmental issues that will help Britain reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The G-8 summit meeting includes representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain and the United States. Five other countries, including China and India, were also invited to take part in this summit.

Read more about this British appeal at Yahoo News