Clinton Chides Bush Greenhouse Plan, Pushes '08 Candidates for More

July 11, 2008 — -- In the face of ever increasing fuel prices, exploding utility bills and fewer jobs, Americans are fully aware that going green is good not just for the environment but for the economy as well, former President Bill Clinton told ABC News's Bob Woodruff in an exclusive interview.

Chiding President George Bush for refusing to do address greenhouse gas emissions before the end of his term, Clinton said the next president would have to set a global example and make climate change a major issue of his administration or risk the ecological and financial consequences.

For more of Bob Woodruff's interview with President Clinton, tune in to "Focus Earth with Bob Woodruff," an ABC News production airing on the Planet Green network. Check your local listings.

"I think that, in terms of how real Americans live, over $4 gasoline, exploding utility bills because of the rising price of oil and coal and natural gas, the absence of jobs, which is being made more severe because of the energy prices, that along with health care are the major domestic agendas for the next president, no matter who is elected," he said.

Clinton defended his own environmental record, blaming a hostile Congress in 1998 for refusing to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, but praised politicians on both sides of the aisle -- including presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain -- for recognizing the importance of sound environmental policy.

"I do think it's fair to say that, among all the Republicans, Sen. McCain had the best position on climate change. I think that Sen. Obama and the Democrats have a better position, but I think McCain deserves credit for moving his party."

In the premiere episode of Planet Green network's "Focus Earth with Bob Woodruff," airing on Planet Green, Clinton called Bush's efforts at this week's at the G8 summit in Lake Toya, Japan to cut emissions by 50 percent over 40 years a "net plus," but he added, "I would like to have seen more done."

"Most of the climate scientists believe we'll have to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent. And they did not agree to a more ambitious target in the interim, by 2020, which I think should have been done," he said.