PRESIDENT CLINTON’S FIVE CLIMATE CHANGE PRINCIPLES

October 22, 1997

Global climate change is the premier environmental challenge and opportunity of the 21st century, and the risks it poses justify sensible preventive steps. Addressing this issue is one of the United States’ greatest imperatives, for this and future generations. Recognizing the solid foundation of climate science, President Clinton is committed to strong and sensible action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- including realistic and binding emissions targets.

President Clinton’s climate change plan is based on five key principles:

• PRESIDENT CLINTON’S FIVE CLIMATE CHANGE PRINCIPLES
• October 22, 1997

• Global climate change is the premier environmental challenge and opportunity of the 21st century, and the risks it poses justify sensible preventive steps. Addressing this issue is one of the United States’ greatest imperatives, for this and future generations. Recognizing the solid foundation of climate science, President Clinton is committed to strong and sensible action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- including realistic and binding emissions targets.

• President Clinton’s climate change plan is based on five key principles:

• Guided by science. The vast majority of the world’s scientists have concluded that if the countries of world do not work together to cut greenhouse gas emissions, temperatures will rise and disrupt the global climate. Indeed, most scientists say this process has already begun. But there is much we still don’t know about how the climate and human health will react to increased greenhouse gas concentrations. That’s why the President’s plan includes regular science reviews, to ensure that our policies are guided by the best science available.

• Market-based, common-sense tools. We have learned that the costs of protecting the environment is substantially lower if we harness the power of markets to do so. That’s why the President’s plan emphasizes flexible and market-based mechanisms. His plan includes a domestic and international permit trading system for greenhouse gas emissions, similar to the highly successful permit trading system that has dramatically cut acid rain at a fraction of the predicted cost.

• Seek win-win solutions. There are a multitude of win-win solutions to reducing carbon emissions, that can improve our energy efficiency and save consumers money. For example, a breakthrough in fuel cell technology announced yesterday will clear the way toward developing cars that are twice as efficient as today’s models -- cutting pollution while also cutting driving costs. The President believes that we must seek such win-win solutions to addressing climate change.

• Global participation. Climate change is a global problem, and requires a global solution. A ton of carbon emitted in Argentina has just as much effect on the global climate as a ton of carbon emitted in the United States -- and within the next few decades, emissions from developing countries are expected to exceed those from developed countries. And many win-win opportunities exist to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries. That’s why the United States has spear-headed joint implementation projects and the President has committed that the United States will not adopt binding obligations without developing country participation.

• Common-sense economic reviews. Our knowledge of the challenges and opportunities we face will grow over time. Therefore, the President is calling for regular 5-year economic reviews and updates, to ensure that policy-makers, both in the Administration and in Congress, have the best possible information on how the economy is responding to the effort to address climate change, how other countries are performing relative to their own commitments, and how the climate is changing in response to human activities.