As if I weren’t worried enough about the fate of the world, I picked up the Times today and read this in what was meant to be an optimistic report on how global carbon emissions have fallen as a result of the economic collapse:

The forecast should also make it easier for most nations to meet emissions reduction targets in the near and medium term and could give a lift toward a new global warming treaty, said Paul W. Bledsoe of the National Commission on Energy Policy, a bipartisan advisory group.

“Because many countries are using 2005 as a baseline year, this will give them some breathing room when economic activity picks up again,” Mr. Bledsoe said.

In other words: Nations may be willing to agree to limits on carbon emissions if they get to compare them to pre-recession levels, since this would allow them to actually emit more greenhouse gases and still call it a “cut.” Woohoo?