Clinton Says Climate Change Risk Is Real

President opens climate change conference with a warning

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Oct. 6) -- President Bill Clinton said today the U.S. needs to take a leadership role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions because the potential for "serious climate disruption" is real.

Clinton, who opened a White House conference on climate change, said while scientific assessments vary, he finds the arguments solid enough to justify "realistic and binding goals" for reducing emission of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

"The great majority of the world's climate scientists have concluded that if we don't cut our emission of greenhouse gases, temperatures will rise and will disrupt the global climate," the president said. "In fact, most scientists say this process has already begun.

"I know not everyone agrees on how to interpret the scientific conclusions," Clinton added. "I know not everyone shares my assessment of the risks. But I think we all have to agree that the potential for serious climate disruption is real." (416K wav sound)

Clinton hopes to win U.S. support for limits on greenhouse gas emissions. The world's industrialized countries are due to meet in Kyoto, Japan in December to try to negotiate standards.

"It would clearly be a grave mistake to bury our heads in the sand and pretend the issue will go away," Clinton said. (256K wav sound)

But the administration faces opposition from business and industry and members of Congress, who fear that reduced energy use will mean skyrocketing unemployment and economic dislocation.

While supporting binding standards, the Clinton Administration has not yet announced what sort of proposal it will take to the Kyoto conference.

Many scientists predict a gradual warming of the Earth by 2 to 6 degrees Fahrenheit. That, in turn, could create dislocation in agriculture, increased melting of polar ice caps and rising sea levels.

In Other News:

Monday Oct. 6, 1997

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• The Coffee Tapes
• Ickes Could Be A Tough Witness
• Clinton Uses Line-Item Veto On Military Projects
• Clinton Says Climate Change Risk Is Real
• Supreme Court Hears Credit Union Case