Different EPA

While in Paris last week for international talks, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson pledged a new U.S. approach to environmental matters.

Saying that the EPA "is back on the job," she contended that it was time for the United States to stop wasting energy and start leading in the quest for cleaner power sources.

Since world leaders will meet in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December to craft a new global climate agreement, the Obama administration's environmental policies will be closely watched.

The United States will be asked to reduce its own pollution. But there is also a movement among wealthy nations to help poor countries cope with global warming. The Paris talks focused on how to include such considerations in development aid.

She said that economic challenges should halt neither aid commitments nor investment in clean energy sources. Ms. Jackson said the United States should take the lead in energy development.

"We have to get in the race now — and win it," she said. "I don't expect a moving backwards because of recession."

Noting that "people didn't even expect the EPA to show up" at international events on the environment, she served notice that the U.S. approach would be different now.

The U.S. official pledged that America would limit chemical pollutants and said the United States had much to learn from other countries about how to manage resources.

This is a totally different approach from the Bush administration, and it is drawing praise from European leaders.

The December climate meeting should be interesting.