Schwarzenegger says go carefully on climate change

WASHINGTON — California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says world policymakers do not have to choose between a clean environment and economic growth.

“We’ve proved that over and over again in California,” Schwarzenegger said in an interview by ABC’s “Good Morning America” from the Copenhagen conference. He said he thinks world leaders may be risking setback by pushing so aggressively for an accommodation on curbs to heat-trapping emissions.

Schwarzenegger said that people worried about climate change should pay more attention to companies, universities and “ordinary folks” and not put so much emphasis on a multinational consensus. He said that type of thinking is “setting yourself up for failure.”

He also said poor nations have a right to demand that the richer countries help them to meet tougher pollution standards.