He is planning to slash US aid to help them combat climate change, and is watering down a personal initiative by Tony Blair for the world's richest countries to promote solar, wind and other clean energy in developing nations.

Also See: U.S. Opposes Plan for Financing of Clean Energy Over Fossil Fuel New York Times 7/14/01

The news is bound to create a new storm over the US's determination to destroy international agreement on cutting pollution. Tomorrow, environment ministers meet in Bonn to see if they can agree on ways of implementing the Kyoto Protocol ­ which would reduce emissions of so-called "greenhouse gases" by 5.2 per cent in the next decade ­ without the US.

Many countries will see the President's actions as adding insult to injury since he cited the protocol's failure to impose immediate pollution cuts on developing countries as a major reason for rejecting it.

They also give the lie to a personal promise he gave last month to work with Third World countries "to reduce greenhouse emissions and maintain economic growth".

© 2001 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd

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