Obama opposes energy bill trade penalties-reports
USA: U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday called a House-passed
climate change bill "an extraordinary first step," but spoke out against
a provision that would impose trade penalties on countries that fail to
cut greenhouse gas emissions.
"At a time when the economy worldwide is still deep in recession and
we've seen a significant drop in global trade, I think we have to be
very careful about sending any protectionist signals," Obama said in an
Oval Office interview reported by The New York Times, the Los Angeles
Times and The Washington Post. "I think there may be other ways of doing
it than with a tariff approach," Obama said.
The Democratic-controlled House on Friday passed the climate change
bill that would require large U.S. companies, including utilities and
manufacturers to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases
associated with global warming by 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by
2050, from 2005 levels.
Washington,Monday, Reuters |