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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 2, NUMBER 6, JUNE 1989

NEWS...
BUSH ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS

Item #d89jun3

U.S. delegates to the second Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which met in Geneva in mid-May 1989, were instructed by the White House not to push for an international treaty on greenhouse emissions, contrary to the urging of the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of State. Subsequently, federal agency scientists James Hansen and Jerry Mahlman revealed that their written testimonies on global warming were modified by the White House budget office. Both events added to concern by advocates of an aggressive U.S. position on global warming over the Administration's attitude toward the issue. On May 9, President George Bush announced he would call an international meeting to consider a framework for formal treaty negotiation, possibly to be held this fall, as he promised in his election campaign.

"Bush Calls for Global Warming `Workshop' following Week of Criticism, Controversy," Greenhouse Effects Rep., pp. 37-38, May 1989.

"U.S. Commitment to Global Warming Is Questioned by Treaty Advocates," Inside EPA, pp. 1, 9-10, May 12.

"OMB Changes Global Warming Testimony; Gore Alleges `Muzzling' of Environmentalists," Environ. Rptr., p. 107, May 12. Discusses the Administration's response to complaints over modifications to testimony, the intent of which was to indicate there are still many points of view on the problem.

"White House `Tinkerers' Anger Scientists," New Scientist, p. 27, May 13. Also discusses the role of models like that used by Mahlman's group at the NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in studying greenhouse scenarios.