He's sounds very presidential these days ...

Bloomberg Continues Environmental Push During European Visit (http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=74099#)
October 01, 2007

Mayor Michael Bloomberg visits London today, where he's scheduled to ride a hybrid double decker bus and check out a hybrid taxi as part of his environmental push.

Bloomberg met with London Mayor Ken Livingstone and got a demonstration of the London Police Department's Ring Of Steel – a system of surveillance cameras that monitors the city center.

The mayor praised the security system, saying the cameras are a necessary protection in a dangerous world. New York has been looking into its own ring of steel for Lower Manhattan.

Bloomberg also checked out hybrid vehicles, including a taxi and a double-decker bus and renewed his call for a congestion pricing plan in New York similar to London's.

On Sunday the mayor delivered a speech on the global economy at a Conservative Party conference in Blackpool.

Bloomberg was in Paris Saturday where he met with that city's mayor and France's ecology minister.

The mayor praised Paris for trying to tackle road congestion with its new bike rental service. He also stressed the need for cleaner power sources, citing France's long-standing use of nuclear power as an example.

Bloomberg says if the United States and France can show leadership on environmental issues, the rest of the world will follow.

"You will see countries that people say aren't doing their share, like China and India, I think those countries are going to come along when they see, and their people see, it's possible to have a better environment and have it stimulate the economy at the same time," said Bloomberg.

While Bloomberg is away, Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff will be in charge, although the mayor says he's just a phone call or e-mail away.