The Administration's
Economic Analysis
of the Kyoto Protocol
In July of 1998, the Administration released the report, "The Kyoto
Protocol and the President's Policies to Address Climate Change:
Administration's Economic Analysis." The primary purpose of the analysis
is to examine the costs and benefits of taking action to mitigate the
threat of global warming. In particular, the report examines the costs and
benefits of complying with the emissions reduction target for the United
States set forth in the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change, negotiated in
December 1997. For reasons discussed at length in this report, it is the
Administration's conclusion that, with the flexibility mechanisms included
in the Kyoto Protocol, and by pursuing sound domestic policies, the United
States could reach its Kyoto target at a relatively modest cost. Moreover,
the benefits of mitigating climate change are likely to be substantial.
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