U.S. TO BE ‘VIGOROUS’ & ‘STRATEGIC’ – NEW CLIMATE ENVOY

Clinton climate change envoy vows 'dramatic diplomacy'
John Whitesides (w/Sue Pleming, Arshad Mohammed and Frances Kerry), January 26, 2009 (Reuters)

“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton named a special envoy… to lead U.S. efforts to fight global warming and forge new international accords on reducing carbon emissions and developing clean energy…The appointment…signaled a break from the Bush administration's climate policies…

“Todd Stern, a senior White House official under former President Bill Clinton, will be the administration's principal adviser on international climate policy and strategy and its chief climate negotiator.

”Stern's appointment came as Obama announced moves to force auto makers to produce more fuel-efficient and less polluting cars…”

Secretary of State Clinton names a climate change special envoy. From SBARTSTV via YouTube.

”Stern coordinated climate change policy from 1997 to 1999…Bill Clinton's administration, acting as the senior White House negotiator in the Kyoto talks…190 countries are trying to craft a broader climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol…The new deal is supposed to be wrapped up in Copenhagen by December.

“ ‘The time for denial, delay and dispute is over. The time for the United States to take up its rightful place at the negotiating table is here,’ Stern said…

“From 1999 to 2001, Stern advised the U.S. Treasury secretary on economic and financial issues and supervised the department's anti-money laundering strategy. He is a partner in a Washington law firm and a senior fellow at Center for American Progress think tank…”