Page images
PDF
EPUB

economic situation of those countries which have raised the price of energy to something like realistic levels, that have trusted their own citizens to make good judgments given honest information, what you see is that the economies of Japan, West Germany, even Italy have grown much more rapidly and stronger than our own. As to the question, is the CFC phaseout enough: Clearly not. It is necessary, but not enough. They contribute about 15 percent of the global warming effect, but they, more importantly, actively contribute to the risks of rapid depletion of ozone in the stratosphere, as well.

So by eliminating the most dangerous chlorofluorocarbon compounds, shifting the fluorocarbon to other compounds that can perform the same function, we achieve the economic benefits we want, but reduce both the risks of climate change and the risks of ozone depletion.

Is the policy prescription that I would suggest to you good for Canada and Mexico? Should Mexico underprice its oil and gas or should Canada, even though they can take it out of the ground cheaper than the world price? No, I think not.

A look at developing countries over the last 15 years has shown that those who subsidized energy prices experience severe market distortions, gross inefficiencies and slower than average rates of economic growth. I would argue to you that by raising the price of energy so that if reflects the full cost, we would encourage the creative and innovative spirits of American business to develop those technologies that can meet our real needs while minimizing the emissions of dangerous pollutants into the atmosphere.

The process of doing that will promote the development of technologies that are likely to be at the cutting edge of export development in the end of the 1990's. We need those. We need the partnerships they represent with developing countries and we need to share the economic rents so that the development of these new technologies supports the objectives of both Third World countries and of high-wage jobs in the United States.

Thank you.

Mr. GLAUTHIER. I take it from your question, Congresswoman McKinney, that you are not a scientist. I am not a scientist either, and my colleagues here on the panel have a strong basis themselves in reaching these decisions. I find it very heartening to look at the National Academy of Sciences report, for example, in April of 1991 where our leading scientists examined the issue and came forward with very strong statements that the problem is real, that uncertainties are there, but it is a serious enough problem that we ought to take actions now, and they said it in very clear terms. We should take actions beyond those actions that are simply justified in other ways.

We ought to do some things specifically to help bri lem under control, and they talked in terms of insur

One of the concerns that the scientists tell us a certainty in this issue cuts both ways. There is a temperature impacts and sea level rises and the o could come, just as likely to be at the upper end o the lower end. So we do need to We have to

rob

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][ocr errors][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

LEE H. HAMILTON, Indiana, Chairman

SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut
TOM LANTOS, California

ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey
HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
HARRY JOHNSTON, Florida
ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
Samoa

JAMES L. OBERSTAR, Minnesota
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York
MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California
ROBERT A. BORSKI, Pennsylvania
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey
ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey
ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio
CYNTHIA A. MCKINNEY, Georgia
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
ERIC FINGERHUT, Ohio

PETER DEUTSCH, Florida

ALBERT RUSSELL WYNN, Maryland
DON EDWARDS, California
FRANK MCCLOSKEY, Indiana
THOMAS C. SAWYER, Ohio
(Vacancy)

BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York
WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania
JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa
TOBY ROTH, Wisconsin
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois

DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
DAN BURTON, Indiana
JAN MEYERS, Kansas

ELTON GALLEGLY, California
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida
CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina
DANA ROHRABACHER, California
DAVID A. LEVY, New York
DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois
LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, Florida
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »