Editing Away Environmental Concerns, Part Two

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"A new draft communique on climate change for next month's Group of Eight summit has removed plans to fund research" on clean energy technologies. Other edits "put into question top scientists' warnings that global warming is already under way," by removing references to current weather changes and marking such phrases as "our world is warming" for possible deletion. The new draft also "explicitly endorses the use of 'zero-carbon' nuclear power." In contrast, the May 3rd draft of the document endorsed "ambitious targets and timetables" for reducing carbon emissions from buildings. The editing (reminiscent of former White House staff Philip Cooney's work) bodes ill for Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has "pledged to put the fight against climate change at the heart of Britain's year-long presidency of the G8." The Washington Post and the Observer (UK) have also reported on U.S. pressure to weaken the G-8 climate plan.