Bush Rethinks on Climate | Green Energy News

July 24, 2005 – Vol.10 No.18

BUSH RETHINKS ON CLIMATE.

The Bush Administration and the leaders of Japan, Australia, China, India and South Korea have agreed on a technology swap in an effort to get greenhouse gas emissions under control. There’s nothing binding in the Asia-Pacific Partnership for Clean Development and Climate and the group has set no targets for emissions reductions.

Among the technologies set for transfer are those related to energy efficiency, methane capture and use, rural energy systems, clean coal, civilian nuclear power, advanced transportation including hydrogen fuel cells, liquefied natural gas, bio-energy, agriculture and forestry, and hydro power, wind and solar power.

Critics of the pact claim this will undermine Kyoto. Others say this is a way for the U.S. to continue avoiding binding government action.

Bush thinks technology can be used to get global warming under control. Kyoto signers think global government action is needed. The solution is both.

Although the Bush Administration may think it has the technological answers - clean coal, carbon sequestration, hydrogen and fuel cells - it may turn out that cheaper, better ideas may come out of the nations and the region the Administration has just agreed to work with.

For instance, in developing nations rural energy systems are common. Those nations have become experts at inexpensive, often renewable and clean energy. Pico hydro comes to mind. BP Solar works hard to build small solar systems in the Asia Pacific region. The Chinese government has programs which build renewable, distributed power systems too.

Maybe the real, meaningful technology transfer will not be from the U.S. to them, but the reverse. Do a Google search for pico hydro. Visit BP Solar at http://www.bpsolar.com/ .