Big US firms urge Bush to tackle global warming - AFP

[Eugene]

Big US firms urge Bush to tackle global warming

by Justin Cole

1 hour, 23 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Some of corporate America's largest companies, including Alcoa,
General Electric and DuPont, have urged US President George W. Bush and the Congress
to act swiftly to tackle global warming.

The United States Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), of which the three corporations
are members, sent a letter dated Monday to Bush calling for a stop and eventual reversal
of greenhouse gas emissions.

The powerful USCAP coalition called for urgent US government action to stamp mandatory
reductions on businesses' greenhouse gas emissions, which many scientists have blamed
for global warming.

The group -- who collectively operate dozens of industrial plants -- also called for a
cap-and-trade program, which would allow the trade of emissions permits.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070122/bs_afp/usenvironmentclimate_070122170355

[Deja Q]

1. And why should big corporations demand the US become a Communist state?

Big firms want Bush to deregulate. We are told government can't always be there. Big government did nothing after Katrina and the media praised big corporations.

In other words, I'm confused as to why big corporations now demand big government do something. Corporations are the ones who make the problem, not government. Except Venezuela and any other Communist country whose country owns the power and equipment...

In America, it's not the government. It's up to the businesses. Where does the nanny state begin and where does it end? Especially when big businesses get more welfare* than the working poor.

* corporate subsidy is welfare.

[jwirr]

2. I watched parts of this on Cspan. I distrust big corporations and

this meeting did not change that. However I read some of the list of companies and some of them may just see their future with the new move toward green. Alcoa for instance is touting the use of aluminum in cars to make them more energy efficient. Caterpillar is probably thinking about helping to build the new infrastructure needed. They said that they started this group because the time is right regarding the global warming interest all over the globe. PR.

One partner that really bothered me was an energy producer in SC. He was talking about building a new coal plant and a new nuke plant using the latest technology. What technology and what are they going to do with the waste from that nuke?

My feeling is that the top is the wrong end to start this change from. Al Gore talks about we the people and the changes we need to make. If the big corps take over all they are really interested in is maintaining the status quo. Nothing will change at all if they can convince the people that they are taking care of everything.

[The2ndWheel]

3. Don't sell the people short

A lot of them want to keep on keepin' on, without having to pay a price.

[Eugene]

4. Business smells whiff of money in climate change - Reuters

Business smells whiff of money in climate change

By Gerard Wynn

2 hours, 30 minutes ago

LONDON (Reuters) - A spate of corporations flaunting their environmental credentials,
and especially their concern about climate change, says as much or more about a shifting
commercial landscape as the planet's future.

-snip-

Both GE and BP Plc, parent of BP America, are at the forefront of a new breed of companies
that want to be big players in a new clean, or low carbon, economy fashioned by concerns
over climate change.

BP says it will direct some 5 percent of its investment over the next 10 years into clean
energy -- low carbon energy sources like wind that contribute less to climate change than
conventional fossil fuels like coal and oil.

But companies may be able to make climate change work for them without necessarily
tweaking their business plans -- with the right policies.

Citigroup noted in a research briefing on Monday that even "dirty" power companies can profit
from carbon markets, citing the example of RWE AG, one of Europe's biggest power-producing
companies.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070122/sc_nm/financial_climate_profit_dc