BUSH STILL BLOCKS MEANINGFUL CUTS IN CARBON EMISSIONS PROPOSED BY U.N.

Bloomberg News reports that the U.S. just rejected mandatory cuts in carbon emissions at the U.N.'s environmental summit now being held in Bali.

Kim Chipman and Mathew Carr report for Bloomberg:

"The Bush administration, which has long rejected mandatory limits on global warming pollution, opposes a United Nations draft proposal calling on developed countries to make binding emissions cuts of 25-40 percent by 2020."

The U.S. under Bush rejected the Kyoto Treaty, now it is blocking the U.N. proposal to cut carbon emissions. The U.S. is one of the handful of countries opposing environmental safeguards by cutting emissions.

Fortunately, there is a ray of hope that the U.S. will get on the international bandwagon and make environmental pollution a key issue.

Write Chipman and Carr:

"U.S. policy will change after the presidential election next year, said U.S. Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat.

""When the Democrats win in 2008, the position will be different,'' Kerry said today in Bali.

""Every single Democratic candidate for president has embraced mandatory caps, has embraced the need for the United States to lead on these issues and has expressed their willingness to immediately become part of the Kyoto discussions and try to find a successive agreement.''"