Rumor has it that George Bush "is poised to change course and announce as early as this week that he wants Congress to pass a bill to combat global warming." Perhaps he's fired up about Earth Day next week and finally ready to commit to policy that actually addresses climate change. Or perhaps they're concerned that the lawsuits underway right now seeking forced action under existing rules like the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act will create a regulatory calamity.
Or maybe they're hoping to earn some cred before their next "Major Economies" meeting in Paris at the end of this week. Most signs, however, indicate that Bush and Co. want to push something comparatively weak through now as the clock runs out on their administration. Even without a firm idea of what the president is going to push for, Republican Congressmen are already getting hot and bothered, and I'm jumping to the conclusion that whatever he comes up with will probably be both industry friendly and voluntary. Regardless, this should make for an interesting week on the climate front.
--Kate Sheppard
