Warming up

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called global climate change the world's "greatest environmental challenge" and declared that action is needed now, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

"There's no doubt that in my mind that the time to act is now.

"If there is one message I want to leave with you it is one of urgency," he said.

On the other hand, Tory leader Michael Howard insisted there was "nothing new at all" in the speech, just "fine words but no action." Meanwhile,

[t]he Green Party's Keith Taylor also questioned Mr Blair's commitment to change.

He said: "His own government is undermining its aspirations towards reducing climate change gases because it is, for instance, embarking on a £30bn road building programme."

Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Norman Baker said if Mr Blair was sincere he would scrap government plans for more roads and airport terminals.

And indeed Blair did leave himself a huge loophole:

But action could not be taken by one country alone, he warned....

"No one nation alone can resolve it. It has no definable boundaries," he said.

"Short of international action commonly agreed and commonly followed through, it is hard even for a large country to make a difference on its own."

Put another way, "if nothing happens, it's not my fault!" We'll have to see if actions follow words.