US finding a welcome boost

The United States has delivered a welcome boost to a pivotal climate conference. It says greenhouse gases blamed for global warming should be regulated as a health hazard.

The Obama administration's announcement came as delegates opened a meeting of 192 nations in Copenhagen with emotional appeals to leaders in Washington and elsewhere to take stronger action.

Under a Supreme Court ruling, a so-called endangerment finding is needed before the US Environmental Protection Agency can regulate carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases released from automobiles, power plants, and factories under the Federal Clean Air Act.

Lisa Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency, said, "The long-overdue finding cement 2009's place in history as the year when the United States government began seriously addressing the challenge of greenhouse-gas pollution and seizing the opportunity of clean energy reform."

The administration also said it will set the first-ever greenhouse gas emissions standards for automobiles, and raise fuel economy to 35 miles per gallon by 2016 to further reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Environmental campaigners in Copenhagen gave a broad welcome on Monday.

Damon Moglen, Spokesman of Greenpeace, USA, said, "The president does not need to wait for Congress. He can now use the EPA endangerment finding and the Supreme Court ruling, and says the EPA can regulate greenhouse gases to move ahead and to really begin to bring down greenhouse pollution in our country."

Meanwhile, the European Union has called for a stronger bid by the Americans, who have so far pledged emissions cuts much less ambitious than Europe's.