Energy independence, energy efficiency, energy sufficiency, and global climate change are tightly linked issues. The President and his Administration continue to strongly imply, if not say, that global warming is not a danger, whether caused or encouraged by United States energy policy and practice. Many of his very public supporters and defenders ridicule any connection.
The President denies international cooperation and protocols are important, effectively keeps carbon dioxide off his list of offending gases, and fails to lead, counsel, and convince Americans their habits are a cause and have real consequences. His Administration resorts to casuistry in its claims of active policy improvements, such as Mr. Abraham's quoted 18% improvement being defined as a reduction in ...the ratio of greenhouse gases (carbon equivalent) emitted per real gross domestic product. Since when do carbon contributions depend upon rate of inflation?
By splitting the questions of energy policy from those of environment, the Adminstration acts and implies as if they are independent and precludes the best means of getting these under control, not to mention derailing several good options bettering long-term foreign policy.
Worst, by denigrating the relevance of scientific findings, acting as if one of science's most successful theories is purely speculative, ignoring and circumscribing scientific opinion, and treating science and scientists as if they are but bookish boffins, Mr. Bush thereby declares that science has no important role in citizens' day-to-day outlook, in the government's business, or in students' studies.
These words, actions, and attitudes not only fail to serve American environmental interests and those of their companions on the planet, they are damaging America's greatest strength, her superior technology, and will impact her economic future far greater than any costs for mitigation.
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