The White House confirmed this morning that President Obama will be traveling to Copenhagen to promise the world dramatic cuts in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The President plans to promise a 17-percent reduction in emissions, compared to 2005 levels, a figure derived from the House version of the cap-and-trade bill. Among its many flaws, the bill, which has stalled in the Senate, would allow the president to impose carbon tariffs on imports from countries that have not reduced emissions. These tariffs are similar to the provisions in the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Act, which could spark a trade war akin to the market restrictions that contributed to the Great Depression.

The sudden announcement of this trip has come as a surprise to many, following comments that he would only attend the global climate conference if it would lead to a successful outcome. Since this will be a short stop before accepting the Nobel Peace Prize the following day, the speech will amount to little more than a photo-op before the “real work” of the conference takes place.

Appearing at a press conference with President Hu Jintao in China last week, Obama promised to “rally the world” toward global carbon reductions. But until this morning, the president had no plans to attend the conference. The New York Times noted this morning that “it is significant that he will appear at the beginning rather than at the end of the 12-day meeting. Most major decisions at such environmental forums come at the very end of the process.”

So the president will offer more rhetoric about unattainable goals. The following day he will receive a Nobel Peace Prize for doing just that.

Write to Thomas Doheny at thomas.doheny@afphq.org