March of Climes

Thousands march worldwide for action on global warming

On Saturday, 100,000-plus people in over 30 countries put feet to street and called for effective action to fight global warming -- marches timed to coincide with the midpoint of the climate summit in Montreal. Enviros at the summit delivered a 600,000-signature petition to the U.S. consulate demanding American action on climate change. But lead U.S. negotiator Harlan Watson is working overtime at the meeting to block meaningful discussion of what should come after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. According to a company memo obtained by Environmental Defense, Watson is ExxonMobil's handpicked man for the job. His downbeat influence is being slightly offset by the presence of many U.S. policymakers opposed to Bush administration intransigence. Among them is Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels (D), who has galvanized 190 fellow city leaders to commit to meet or beat the emissions reduction target the U.S. would be bound to if it ratified Kyoto.