WASHINGTON, DC (September 28, 2007) – H. Sterling Burnett, senior fellow with the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) issued the following statement today regarding President Bush's speech at the Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change at the State Department this morning:
"The President's speech was long on vision, but short on details. The good news is he rejected binding emission cuts. The bad news is he continued to promote government incentives and mandates for biofuels and renewable energy, neither of which will do much to prevent warming.
"The President did offer one new initiative that has promise – the creation of a clean technology development fund. This would give us the most environmental gain for the dollars invested. After all, greening the developing world is the low hanging fruit environmentally.
"In addition, it was encouraging that he promoted increased nuclear power. However, this is a case where we don't need government incentives. Rather, government at all levels simply needs to get out of the way. At the same time, government needs to finally keep its commitment to store spent nuclear fuel, or at least allow the recycling of it.
"While an improved environment is a legitimate goal, government-directed efforts, designed by bureaucrats in Washington, with technologies chose for political reasons, are not likely to improve our energy independence or prevent global warming."