The struggle to stop global warming has suffered a major setback. Again. But this time it’s the Brits’ fault. The UK government, which had previously set ambitious plans to cut its reliance on nonrenewable energy, is already scheming to wriggle out of its commitment in the next couple of days. From the Guardian:
Leaked documents seen by the Guardian show that [prime minister] Gordon Brown will be advised today that the target Tony Blair signed up to this year for 20 percent of all European energy to come from renewable sources by 2020 is expensive and faces “severe practical difficulties.”
The news doesn’t bode well for the worldwide environmental movement. If a country whose people clearly support environmentally friendly policies can’t get its act together to switch to renewable energy, then the United States, China, and other massive polluters with powerful contingents that don’t even believe in global warming are just that much less likely to green up. —Brendan Mackie
