The member states of the European Union, who rarely agree on anything controversial, have reached an agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. This goes beyond the 8% that Europe agreed to in the Kyoto Protocol. Among the other targets: getting 20% of their energy from renewable sources and the end of the traditional light bulb by 2010.

While this is a big victory for those of us who would like to see the Earth remain hospitable to the human species, the unpleasant fact is that the rest of the world needs to act as well. Here in Houston, where I am staying for a few days, the SUVs are more massive than ever and the natives prefer to believe that their fossil-fuel driven lifestyle will go on forever.

Sphere: Related Content