The Obama transition team just released a video of their energy and environment working group meeting with leaders of several major environmental groups to discuss the transition plan the groups have put forward.
In the video, you'll see Mark Tercek, president of The Nature Conservancy; World Wildlife Fund president Carter Roberts; Kevin Curtis, deputy director of the Pew Environment Group; Obama adviser Heather Zichal; transition team leader; and former EPA administrator Carol Browner.
They're sitting around a large room exchanging fairly vague niceties about what they'd like to see done on the environmental front. But lest our cynicism get too much of us, it should be noted that perhaps it's impressive not only to see a large group of enviro leaders meeting with the Obama team this early in the game, but also that the transition finds this an important enough issue to post it on their blog. Here's the video:
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BillS Posted 5:51 am
09 Dec 2008
Actually, it seems to me that in the recent past, U.S.-China interaction on the environment has been remarkably cordial, at least based on the press information that's available. It is also possible that most of this is window dressing concealing the fact that nothing of real substance has been achieved.
Nevertheless, there appear to be cabinet level interactions between the two governments on environmental matters.
I wonder if China is so willing to talk to us because in fact our current positions on non-mandatory control of GHGs is similar.
My question is this: If the next administration in fact achieves mandatory limits (either through regulation based on the current CAA or through new legislation), will we be able to maintain the current, seemingly amiable enviro relationship with China?
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