Beating about the bush, yet again

So, no surprises last week as George Bush's climate change summit ended up being pretty much what everyone expected it would - a futile and elitist talking shop which was a vain attempt for the outgoing president (15 months and counting) to say that he 'did something' about climate change.

Not content with ignoring the Kyoto process and (until very recently) denying that climate change is man-made, his administration is now attempting to establish a competing framework that will divert resources and attention away from what has been repeatedly called the only game in town. I know, we should be grateful that the words from Washington have changed in recent months, but coming late to the party doesn't mean you can choose the music.

And where is the talk of binding emission cuts? Don't look for it, because you won't find it. What's there instead are ambitions pinned on clean technologies, such as 'clean' coal, 'clean' nuclear power and as-yet undeveloped 'clean' energy innovations. Plus an emphasis on voluntary cuts, which even China and India say isn't acceptable. Nothing we haven't heard before, and nothing that will get us on the road to massive reductions in CO2 emissions.

So ignore this dangerous distraction and save your energy for the main event in Bali this December, where the rest of the world will be gathering to begin the next round of truly international climate negotiations.