Now we are told Bush was mistaken. His supposed mistake was pointed out to him by lobbyists for the coal industry, which has the most to lose from limiting the emissions. Coal-burning power plants account for more than 50 percent of the electricity generated in this country. This is the first public sign that Bush is troubled about the West's energy crisis. Bush also repeated the unpersuasive assertion that too little is known about the cause of global warming to take such a step.
Plenty is known, and most of it bad.
Wednesday, the day after Bush's reversal, scientists at London's Imperial College announced that comparison of satellite photos taken in 1970 and 1997 shows direct evidence that less heat is escaping from Earth into space due to greenhouse gas buildup. Bush said carbon dioxide presently is not regulated under the Clean Air Act. He's right about that, at least. But it should be. Also contributing to this politically awkward turn-about is the intransigence of conservatives in Congress who refuse to ratify the Kyoto Protocol meant to or reduce greenhouse gases.