Dear Friends,

This week, one of NASA's top scientists concluded that the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free within five years, much faster than all previous predictions. At the same time, the U.S. delegation to the international climate talks in Bali is blocking a global agreement on mandatory limits on carbon emissions. It is our responsibility as U.S. citizens to demand change from our elected officials.

Please click here to tell the world that you don't stand with Bush, and that you want mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions: http://www.1sky.org/balipetition. (make sure to enter "1sky" in the Postcode box)

The U.S. Administration and Congress are completely out of step with the rest of the world. China, for example, has committed to a 35.8 mpg fuel efficiency standard by 2009, and Italy will produce 25% of its energy from renewable sources by 2010. The U.S. Congress is facing a potential veto from the Bush Administration for a modest 35 mpg standard and many members are opposed to any energy bill that requires 15% our energy to come from renewables by 2020. Get real.

Yesterday, in an official UN meeting to decide what will happen after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, the United States delegation refused to include any short or long-term targets for carbon dioxide reductions. "Once numbers appear in the text, it predetermines the outcome," said Harlan Watson, head of the US delegation.

Isn't that precisely what we want -- a science-based target as the starting point?

A number of US-based and international NGOs, including 1Sky, have partnered together to bring your voice to Bali. They will be presenting delegates from 192 countries around the world with a list of over 2 million names with this message:

"We call urgently for the US, Canada and Japan to stop blocking serious 2020 targets for emissions reductions, and for the rest of the world to refuse to accept anything less."