WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Resources and Energy and Commerce Committees, today criticized the Bush Administration’s continued refusal to participate in the U.N. talks on climate change occurring in Montreal this week.  The United States, which has refused to participate in the Kyoto Treaty, has also neglected to support the agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions after 2012, negotiated by the 189 nations participating in the talks. Late last night, the U.S. delegation walked out on the talks in protest to draft language of an agreement calling for “long-term cooperative action to reduce climate change.”

“The Bush Administration’s decision not to participate in this important meeting of nearly every industrialized nation, and the U.S. delegation’s decision to walk out on the talks last night only further demonstrates how the Bush Administration has turned its back on the future,” stated Rep. Markey. “For George Bush, Kyoto has always been spelled Kyo-NO.”

“The global community has signaled its desire to move forward with an agreement to fight climate change and the Bush Administration’s refusal to participate is severely obstructing that process,” continued Rep. Markey. “The United States produces 25 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions but the Bush Republican Party has assumed zero percent of the responsibility for creating a solution.”

Today’s conclusion of the talks is expected to produce a general agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions beyond 2012 and a timetable to finalize that agreement by 2008. However, many parties feel that the most crucial element of any agreement would be to get the United States involved.

“The rest of the world shouldn’t have to fight global warming without the participation of the United States, the world’s number one producer of greenhouse gasses,” concluded Rep. Markey.  “While the rest of the world is marching ahead to address the world-wide threat of climate change, the Bush Administration is taking steps backwards -- refusing to participate in these critical international treaties and rolling back environmental protections.  Shame on us.”

For more information, check out: www.house.gov/markey.