Bush Wants Global Plan on Emissions

President Bush offered a groundbreaking—if decidedly vague—call this morning for a global plan to combat climate change, continuing to reposition himself on the issue. Bush asked 15 nations, including the G8, China, and India, to create "long-term global goals” on emissions that will replace the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in 2012.

Several of his G8 partners rushed to praise the plan, including Tony Blair, who had pushed Bush to take a leadership role on climate change. Not that Al Gore should worry about losing his mantle—yet. "This is a transparent effort to divert attention from the president's refusal to accept any emissions reductions proposals at next week's G-8 summit," warned the head of the National Environmental Trust. (More global warming stories.)