Posted on: March 14, 2009
The Obama administration has created a remarkable record of far reaching initiatives in a short period of time, particularly in respect of the recovery package that has been passed by Congress to revive the US economy. But, also embedded in this package and other measures that the administration has proposed is a clear direction for limiting the emissions of greenhouse gases in an effort to tackle the challenge of climate change. The latter is particularly important, because by the end of the year when the next Conference of the Parties takes place in Copenhagen, the world should be in a position to reach an agreement on tackling climate change beyond the terminal year 2012 of the period covered by the Kyoto Protocol. This is, indeed, a difficult challenge, because if the US has to put in place a cap and trade system to limit emissions of greenhouse gases, it would have to work at an unprecedented pace to ensure that everything is in place well before Copenhagen.
Such an achievement would inspire and reassure the world that what President Obama has stated is valid, that is the US is ready to lead. But, it is also important that the US matches at least the commitment made by the European Union to reduce its emissions by 20% from 1990 levels by the year 2020. If US legislation targets something lower this would clearly have an unfavourable effect on other countries of the world. All this, of course, has to take place while jobs are being lost and output is declining in the US. The challenge, therefore, requires leadership of the highest order and the courage of conviction that President Obama has expressed on several occasions.
In the next few months the world will be watching the developments in the US, which no doubt will have a defining effect on the way in which human society is going to deal with the challenge of climate change. There would be an expectation that not only does action by the US turn out to be adequate, but is also timely and urgent.
