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 Roger Harrabin
The White House says George Bush inadvertently exaggerated the amount the US is spending on clean fuel technology to combat climate change.
President BushÌýwas widely quoted yesterday claiming that the US spent $20 billion last year on technologies diversifying away from fossil fuels. But the White House now say he "mis-spoke". The figure should have been £4 bn not $20 bn.
It's a crucial issue because big new investment in clean fuel technology is a key demand from Tony Blair for the G8 summit.
Experts say trillions of dollars need to be spent on new technologies to stave off potentially devastating climate change.
Speaking in Denmark yesterday, Mr Bush said the US spent $20 billion last year on clean technology research. The 91Èȱ¬ tried to verify this.
The US State Department website quotes two figures: $5 billion and $3 billion.
A spokesman at the US Department of Energy told us the sum was $2 billion a year.
A White House official later said Mr Bush meant to say $20 billionÌýover five years, that's to say $4 billion a year.
Stephen Tindale,ÌýExecutive DirectorÌýof Greenpeace UK, accused Mr Bush of being prepared to lie to subvert the climate talks. He said this proved promises on climate technology were worthless and clear carbon dioxide cuts were the only way forward.
A White House spokesman said this was an outrageous slur. Anyone, she said, could make a mistake. The spokesman said he had quoted the correct figure in a previous interview.
 Back to Reports 91Èȱ¬page
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