United States... GLOBAL WARMING HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND POWER OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED SECOND CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON THE ROLE OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED NATIONS MARCH 3, 1992 Serial No. 102-121 Printed for the use of the Committee on Energy and Commerce For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents, Congressional Sales Office, Washington, DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-038782-5 COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE JOHN D. DINGELL, Michigan, Chairman JAMES H. SCHEUER, New York EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts W.J. "BILLY" TAUZIN, Louisiana BILL RICHARDSON, New Mexico NORMAN F. LENT, New York THOMAS J. BLILEY, JR., Virginia MICHAEL G. OXLEY, Ohio JOHN S. ORLANDO, Chief of Staff MARGARET A. DURBIN, Minority Chief Counsel/Staff Director крат Baroody, Michael E., senior vice president, National Association of Manu- facturers, on behalf of the Global Climate Coalition...... Claussen, Eileen, Director, Office of Atmospheric and Indoor Air Pro- grams, Environmental Protection Agency Gruenspecht, Howard, Associate Deputy Under Secretary for Program Analysis, Office of Domestic and International Energy Policy, Depart- ment of Energy. Lashof, Daniel A., senior scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council. Rowe, John W., president, New England Electric System Volcansek, Frederick W., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Basic Industries, Commerce Department: DRI/McGraw-Hill, study: "Economic Effects of Global Climate Coalition, statement Union of Concerned Scientists: statement of Henry Kendall, chairman. (III) GLOBAL WARMING TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 1992 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND POWER, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:05 a.m., in room 2123, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Philip R. Sharp (chairman) presiding. Mr. SHARP. The subcommittee will please come to order. Today, we are going to focus on the status of the United Nations negotiations on climate change, or global warming, as many call it. We want to look at what the role of the U.S. Government is in these negotiations and hear assessments of the U.S. position in the negotiations, particularly with respect to environmental policy, energy policy, and our international competitive position. This is clearly a long-term problem that we are struggling with, but it requires near-term action because of the long lead times necessary to make any significant changes. While our focus today is on the U.S. role in international negotiations, it is important to note that there are many actions that we have been taking here in Congress. I simply wanted to indicate that we have the energy bill up next week in the Commerce Committee, and in the process of our subcommittee considering the issues that are within our jurisdiction, we spent a lot of time and effort trying to assess impacts on greenhouse gases and trying to change the path we are now on. I think it is very clear that what we have done in this legislation is clearly an improvement relative to where we would be without the legislation. Indeed, I want to place in the record a chart that outlines the various percentage reductions that we think we will get relative to what otherwise would occur especially in terms of CO2. [The chart follows:] (1) |