Bloomberg in Asia: The Planet's Climate Spokesperson

As we understand it, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is still considering throwing his hat in the ring in the ’08 slug fest, maybe as early as Super Tuesday, February 5. Phew.

To grasp the full implications of this from a climate change (and global economics) perspective, take a look at the non-candidate’s latest speeches -- the one he delivered in Bali before delegates and the one he gave in China. And this op-ed he wrote in the Financial Times.

They all sound like mini stump speeches but of an unusual variety. Effective global climate leadership. Hope. The ascendancy of a rational but visionary point of view. Those are the descriptors that come to mind.

I think it's fair to say that Americans are fed up with the partisan vitriol that's enveloped this excessively long presidential race. Give Bloomberg’s climate ideas a whirl. They'll make you feel all warm and fuzzy and hopeful again. And make you wonder, what if?

Here’s a message he delivered from Bali to the delegates for a sample. It obviously fell on deaf ears:

Long-term targets can’t just become excuses for inaction. We have to set targets, propose realistic plans to achieve them, and hold ourselves accountable to do just that.

As an American, I want my country to set the pace of change. A great nation embraces the duty to lead by example. And any country’s standing in the community of nations rises as it meets its obligations to a world that all our children will inherit. So we need fair commitments from all.

Policy-wise, he applied pressure but didn’t drop a single bombshell in his Bali speech. The lack of controversy stands in contrast with his recent talk on a national carbon tax that he gave in Seattle (which still gets top billing on mikebloomberg.com) and the national energy policy speech he gave in Houston. Both sent shockwaves through the media.

But the circumstances were different. In Bali, Bloomberg was selected by ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability on behalf of its members -- 700 of the world's climate-fighting cities. He literally spoke on behalf of 3.3 billion people, fully half of the Earth’s population. Can you imagine the world’s cities lining up behind our current president, or any one of the presidential hopefuls in such large numbers, looking to them for global leadership and hanging on their every word?

That ability to bring people together -- on the world's stage -- should give pause to every voter in America, especially if the rumor mill ends up spitting out the truth, and a Bloomberg bid becomes real.

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