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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
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FROM VOLUME 3, NUMBER 3, MARCH 1990

NEWS...
BUSH ADDRESS TO IPCC

Item #d90mar61

In his February 1990 address to the plenary meeting of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Washington, President George Bush strongly endorsed the group's work but recommended a cautious approach to global climate change, emphasizing research as opposed to policy initiatives. While groups such as the Climate Coalition, a broadly-based association of businesses, supported the President's position, those pressing for more vigorous action found new fuel for concern in his speech over continued signs of dissension on the issue within the Administration. Bush announced a 57 percent increase for fiscal year 1991 in global climate change research. (See REPORTS, this Global Climate Change Digest issue--Mar. 1990.) He called for development of new technology for efficient energy use, a major initiative to plant a billion trees per year on private lands, and a comprehensive revision of the National Energy Strategy, emphasizing energy efficiency and renewable resources. The President favors the use of market mechanisms as a policy tool (see following news item). Recent national and international views on the Administration's position are discussed in the following:

• "Bush Says World Must Strike Balance between Economic Growth, Environment," Intl. Environ. Rptr., pp. 43-45, Feb. 1990. Discusses reactions to the Feb. 5 IPCC address.
• "European Nations Want Action Now on Global Warming," H. Gavaghan, New Scientist, p. 20, Feb. 17, 1990. Ten European countries called for speeding up negotiations for an international convention on greenhouse gases at the IPCC meeting, but were resisted by the United States, Japan, Britain and the Soviet Union. A recent report from the U.S. General Accounting Office criticizes the Administration's lack of a policy on global warming. (See REPORTS/GENERAL AND POLICY, this Global Climate Change Digest issue--Mar. 1990.)
• "Bush Rejects Scientist's Call for Action on Global Warming," H. Gavaghan, ibid., p. 23, Feb. 10, 1990. Almost half the members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 49 Nobel laureates, signed a petition organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists and released prior to the President's IPCC address, calling for strong steps.
• "Bush Criticized on `Missed Opportunity for Leadership,'" Global Environ. Change Rep., pp. 1-3, Feb. 9, 1990.