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Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (89446)	11/21/2006 11:38:32 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Respond to of 361182

Barroso a born-again climate warrior By George Parker in Brussels and Fiona Harvey in Nairobi Published: November 19 2006 16:25 \| Last updated: November 19 2006 16:25 When José Manuel Barroso became president of the European Commission in 2004, environmental groups feared the worst. When he named Stavros Dimas, a former Wall St lawyer, as the EU’s environment commissioner, they shuddered: the Greek, who has since won over many of his early critics, came from the only country in Europe without an environment minister. Yet in the last few weeks, Mr Barroso has undergone a remarkable conversion and emerged as a champion of the environmental cause. His aides deny he has suddenly “gone green”, but as recently as May 2006 climate change was barely mentioned by the former Portuguese prime minister as he set out his vision for the “future of Europe”. But last week he put climate change at the top of his list of priorities: a “serious and urgent issue” requiring tough action. Colleagues say the new approach is already being felt in policy areas. His position matters because Mr Barroso exerts a tight grip on an organisation with the power to set environmental standards and targets. What is decided in Brussels often has a direct impact on companies far beyond Europe. At the United Nations meeting in Nairobi last week to discuss the Kyoto protocol, the EU’s central role in international climate change debate was obvious. Only the EU, Japan and Canada among the world’s big developed economies are having to shoulder emission cuts under the treaty, and Europe is fighting to keep the last two countries on board. Mr Barroso’s colleagues admit he was suspicious of the environmental lobby when he arrived in Brussels and feared green issues could frustrate his main goal of boosting Europe’s jobs and growth. His decision to choose a petrol-slurping German SUV for his official car raised hackles further. So why the sudden enthusiasm for tackling climate change? Mr Barroso’s allies say a defining influence was Sir Nicholas Stern, the former World Bank economist, who made a compelling economic case for doing something about it. Al Gore’s film on climate change, An Inconvenient Truth, also changed attitudes. When the former US vice-president came to an adoring Brussels last month, Mr Dimas bemoaned the fact that Europeans “cannot vote in US elections”. But for Mr Barroso, the environment is also a rare political issue on which Europeans feel very strongly and where the European Commission has the ability to act. It polices the EU’s emissions trading scheme, which aims to limit carbon pollution, and Mr Barroso’s team must soon decide whether to challenge member states to come up with more demanding targets. The Commission also proposes standards in areas such as car emissions and recently proposed new energy efficiency laws for electrical equipment such as television standby buttons. Any exporter to the EU will have to comply. In January Mr Barroso will set out a new EU energy policy, addressing efficiency issues, measures to boost green technology and plans to cut Europe’s energy dependency. There is also powerful backing for tackling climate change in the member states. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, will prioritise the issue during her G8 and EU presidencies next year. Meanwhile Tony Blair, British prime minister, and Jacques Chirac, French president, are sympathetic and looking for political “monuments”. David Miliband, Britain’s environment minister, argues that climate change is an issue that can help to rebuild European unity. “The environment is the big issue on which the EU can connect with its citizens,” he told the Financial Times. If Mr Barroso, like other European leaders, has been relatively slow on the issue of climate change, his aides point out that the European Commission has always been a world leader on environmental issues. “This is not some sort of marketing exercise,” says his spokesman Johannes Laitenberger. “It is natural for the Commission to take a lead on this issue and the president has said that is what we will do.” Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2006 ft.com

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (89446)	11/21/2006 11:39:48 AM
From: Travis_Bickle	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 361182

I'd vote for her on account of she would drive the wingnuts crazy. If the world is going to go to hell in a handbasket we might as well have a few laughs along the way.

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (89446)	11/22/2006 6:47:08 AM
From: James Calladine	Respond to of 361182

"I will not vote for a war enabler" That says it all. The people have to decide: DO I WANT WAR OR PEACE? Well, they have war now. Do they like it? The murdering of American soldiers under false pretenses? The crushing debt load and the destruction of the country altogether? There must be some politicians who have PERSONAL VALUES of consequence other than: -- get elected -- enrich myself Politicians who understand that WAR NEVER SETTLES ANYTHING BUT IT GIVES BIG PROFITS TO A SELECTED FEW (individuals and corporations) and who will OPPOSE, ALWAYS OPPOSE,THE PATH OF WAR, DESTRUCTION AND MURDER OF INNOCENTS. Namaste! Jim