US urged to lead global climate change efforts

Two US former Secretaries of States have urged the United States to play a leading role in involving other big emitters in efforts to tackle global warming.

The comments were given during a recent television debate. "The Next President: A World of Challenges" came just few days prior to the first Presidential debate on September 26 between Republican Candidate John McCain and Democratic Candidate Barak Obama.

Joining the special programme were former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, James A. Baker III, Warren Christopher, Henry Kissinger and Colin L. Powell. They discussed the economy, national security, foreign affairs, global warming and other challenges facing the next US President.

Warren Christopher, who served as the 63rd Secretary of State during Bill Clinton's first term, said: "The new administration ought to take a forward-leaning position on climate change. We ought to be leaders there rather than hanging back.

We've had sort of a dog in the manger position in the past. We haven't been willing to move until China moves. We haven't been willing to move until India moves. And the United States needs to be in a position of leadership to do the next thing after Kyoto in a very meaningful, effective way."

Christopher's opinions were echoed by panellist James Baker, who was the Chief of Staff in Ronald Reagan's first administration and the 61st US Secretary of State during George W. Bush's term.

The United States needs to lead a global effort to round up all the countries that put carbon dioxide in the air, especially China, India and others, as they cannot be excluded, Baker insisted.

Baker emphasized that "you're not going to get it done if the President of the United States doesn't lead the charge."

However, Baker suggested that the new US president should do it in a way that doesn't destroy the US economy and is not detrimental to the United States in the way that the Kyoto treaty was, which excludes some of the biggest polluters. Baker still insisted that the Kyoto protocol is a bad treaty for the United States.

In another development, the US recently kicked off its first auction of emissions credits in New York, in an effort to fight global warming.

The programme, which was participated by 10 northeastern states, intends to stabilise the emissions level until 2014 and then reduce them gradually. Auction proceeds will be used for energy conservation and renewable energy development in the states.

Climate programme director of the Union of Concerned Scientists Lance Pierce has described the auction as "historic". He adds, "The carbon markets have arrived in the United States. And carbon markets, if designed correctly, hold the promise for development of cleaner energy ... and reductions in global warming pollution that benefit consumers, businesses and the environment, as well."