Kim Strassel, the Wall Street Journal's superb editorial columnist, and a senior WSJ executive, wrote a scintillating piece on Friday concerning the recent G8 climate statement.
While no one will admit it, she points out that they adopted George Bush's original positions on nearly every point in the release. Over the last few years, the infamous Kyoto Accords have failed.
Governmental fiat didn't push back the carbon tide. Bush's idea was to engage industry to grow its way to less pollution, rather than force emissions down simply by edict.
Ms. Strassel notes that someone 'capitulated' over this issue, but it wasn't Bush. She further notes that, under Kyoto, Europe increased emissions by 2.3 percentage points in five years, while most signatories can't meet their targets.
She even quotes Tony Blair as saying,
"The truth is, no country is going to cut its growth or consumption substantially in the light of a long-term environmental problem." He even doubted that the Kyoto treaty will have a successor instrument after its expiration in 2012.
Perhaps the major Bush victory is to abstain from taking this whole issue seriously while two of the world's largest countries, India and China, also abstain. Instead, Bush led the US to establish a voluntary climate pact with Asia-Pacific nations, including China and India.
Moreover, the G8 declaration is full of 'goals,' and states that programs "must be undertaken in a way that supports growth in developing, emerging and industrialized economies."
Though roundly excoriates by liberals and greens, Bush's patient common sense has won the day internationally on this issue. Gore may have won an Oscar, but Bush won the war on how to effect a response to climate change.
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