Just as the U.S. and China gave a welcome boost to upcoming climate talks, a cache of stolen e-mails was being used last week to discredit scientists who warn of global warming.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, called for an investigation into the e-mails written over 13 years by climate scientists and hacked from the Climate Research Unit at England's University of East Anglia.

An investigation would be fine, as long as it's an honest inquiry not just political grandstanding. The science on which policy is based should withstand tough scrutiny. And it looks bad that a prominent climate scientist considered undermining the peer-review process to stifle dissenting views.

The more telling development, though, by far, is China's intent to curb greenhouse-gas emissions. China announced plans to nearly halve the ratio of emissions to gross domestic product by 2020 and is aggressively pursuing that goal.

Unless Congress quickly gives U.S. business the necessary incentives and tools, China will corner the market on green energy.

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