State of the Union Address Seals Bush's Legacy of Failure on Global Warming and Energy

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The following is a statement by John Passacantando, Executive Director, Greenpeace USA:


"President Bush has courted disaster and misled the nation while the
welfare of billions of people at risk from global warming hangs in the
balance. From his empty campaign promises to address global warming to his
unfulfilled pledge to end America's addiction to oil, Bush leaves a legacy
of neglect, obstruction, and destruction. Under his watch, greenhouse gas
emissions have increased as the United States' reputation has plummeted.
The damage to both the environment and the U.S.'s international standing
will take years to undo.

"Rather than offer real solutions to global warming, the President has
repeatedly kowtowed to the oil and energy industries by sowing confusion on
the science and offering policies that are comparable to throwing a
thimble-full of water on a raging fire.

(snip)
"Tonight's speech contains no new initiatives on global warming.
Instead, the President recycles more of the same: more subsidies for dirty
coal and dangerous nuclear power and, for old time's sake, one last try
effort to open Alaska's pristine National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling.

"With the President abdicating responsibility on the issue, a growing
bipartisan consensus supporting a deep economy-wide cap on emissions has
formed in Congress. Virtually all the leading candidates to replace him
support strong action on climate change. We urge Congress to lay the
groundwork for speedy progress on the issue in preparation for a new
administration.


"President Bush will be remembered not for vision or leadership in a
time of climate crisis, but for leaving America out of the race for
innovative solutions. Greenpeace applauds the President's address tonight
not for its style, substance or eloquence, but for the fact that it his
last."