THE YEAR IN ENVIRONMENT.

One can't help but chuckle when year-end emails from the Bush administration arrive with subject lines like "2007: A Year of Environmental Accomplishments." Let's see, in 2007 the Bush administration managed to delay progress on a post-Kyoto pact, prevent the world from establishing binding targets for emissions cuts, create their own alternative summit of the world's major emitters to help draw power away from the UN framework, significantly weaken the new energy bill with the threat of a veto, prevent California from setting it's own higher standards for automobile emissions, and continue to undermine scientific reports on the threats posed by global warming. But according to their year-end press release:

By encouraging cooperative conservation, innovation, and new technologies, this Administration has compiled a strong environmental record. Because of the President's efforts, America's air is cleaner, our water is purer, our natural resources are better protected, and we are taking positive steps to confront the important challenge of climate change.

So what are we supposed to be lauding them for accomplishing? Apparently, signing off on Congress's Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (the same one they were responsible for weakening), showing up in Bali for the UN summit, improving habitat for migratory birds, expanding and enhancing "hunting opportunities and game management," and protecting striped bass.

I guess it should be viewed as an achievement that the Bush administration even feels the need to tout their "environmental accomplishments." Just a few years ago they wouldn't have even thought to trawl the past 12 months for a list of things that might sort of almost make it seem like they care about the environment and climate. 2007 was clearly the year that climate change really became the focus of intense national and international attention, despite the Bush administration's best efforts to undermine progress. The fact that they even feel compelled to fish for compliments in that realm should be evidence of how far we've come.

--Kate Sheppard