Canada May Be Cutting GHG Emissions More Quickly Than Anticipated

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/climate-change/us-makes-first-move-at-copenhagen/article1391958/

The Obama administration delivered a much-needed jolt of optimism on the opening day of the Copenhagen climate change summit by declaring greenhouse gases a health hazard, strengthening the President's hand to push for deal at the make-or-break meeting.  Environmental groups said the ruling will help give U.S. President Barack Obama the moral authority to push hard for a successful global carbon-reduction deal at the Copenhagen summit, which is to end Dec. 18 when 192 countries are due to lend their political endorsement to a new climate-change accord.

If Prime Minister Harper was counting on the US Senate to delay, disparage, and discourage greenhouse gas emissions reductions, he must now wonder if he will be committing to much more stringent targets than he wants.  He has consistently stated that Canada would follow the lead of the Americans.  He must be chagrined tonight for two reasons. The first -  that President Obama appears to be willing to go to great lengths to reduce America's GHG emissions.  The second -  that the President is a crafty, intelligent pol.