FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            July 11, 2008


OBSTRUCTION ON GLOBAL WARMING BY ‘WORLD’S BIGGEST POLLUTER’ IMMORAL

Responding to the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on greenhouse gas emissions to be announced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today, Greenpeace Senior Legislative Coordinator Kate Smolski issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON –“Although the urgent need for action on global warming has already been identified by domestic and international climate scientists and experts, the announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency expected today will be one more example of a longstanding pattern of delay and denial by the Bush administration.

“As ‘the world’s biggest polluter’ – a proclamation issued proudly by President Bush as he departed the G8 meeting yesterday – perpetuating inaction on the part of the U.S., whether it is at the federal level or abroad, is immoral.

“The administration has repeatedly ignored calls from scientists, the Supreme Court decision and now advice from its own EPA career officials to address the climate crisis. Instead of taking credible action to curb global warming, the EPA is soliciting public input that will fall on deaf ears.

“Scientists warn that global greenhouse gas emissions must be cut in half by mid-century in order to avoid catastrophic climate change. Tragically, it is the world’s most vulnerable communities that will suffer the most from U.S. inaction.

“We simply can’t say our ‘goodbyes’ to this administration quickly enough.”


Contact:  Jane Kochersperger, Greenpeace Media Officer, 202-680-3798 cell; jane.kochersperger@greenpeace.org