‘The Greening of the Summit’

The Times’ editorial “The Greening of the Summit” (July 18) goes too far in lauding President Bush and the other six leaders of the industrial democracies for their “decisive step in rescuing Planet Earth.”

Let’s face it. These leaders are some 20 to 30 years behind in waking up to the scourge of anarchistic industrialization. So now that the planet truly teeters on the brink of extinction, they raise their wine glasses to environmental goals that include no timetable or enforcement.

The editorial goes on to state, “ . . . Specifics are not as important as the nature of a strong commitment.” Perhaps. However, the ecological time bomb keeps ticking. Must the Earth wait another year until the next conference for the precise measures President Bush and his fellow leaders plan to implement?

It has been suggested that the world will wait and watch what ecology measures the United States takes. If the President’s clean air bill is any barometer, we could be in trouble. Reference is made to your front-page article “Continuing Air Pollution Predicted for Many Cities” (July 18). In this report it is stated that the President’s domestic plan to reduce urban smog “stops well short of requiring cities to adopt the maximum pollution control measures now available. . . .”

Let us hope, for the sake of future generations, that Bush is sincere in his desire to improve the environment and does not simply settle for the photo opportunities presented in planting trees.

FRANK DUNGAN

Los Angeles