Clinton attacks 'warming'

President Bill Clinton announced a plan yesterday to combat global warming, using a mix of voluntary programmes, government regulation and fresh support for renewable energy, Reuter reports from Washington. But the plan, under which US greenhouse gas emissions would be cut to 1990 levels by the year 2000, was attacked by environmentalists as inadequate.

The announcement fulfils Mr Clinton's promise made last April to combat global warming and foresees federal spending of dollars 1.9bn ( pounds 1.2bn) by the end of the decade but no new taxes. The President said the plan was part of 'a long-term strategy that will continue the trend of downward emissions'. He also announced the creation of a task force that would develop within a year a detailed strategy to cut emissions from cars by at least 2 per cent a year.