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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 4, NUMBER 10, OCTOBER 1991

NEWS...
CLIMATE TREATY NEGOTIATIONS

Item #d91oct63

Members of the International Negotiating Committee for a Framework Convention on Climate Change held the third of five planned meetings in Nairobi in September 1991, but again failed to produce a document for discussion in their member countries. The United States maintained its opposition to a firm agreement to stabilize or reduce CO₂ emissions, this time explaining that it would be more expensive for the United States than for other industrialized countries, and would threaten national security. However, according to Global Environ. Change Rep. (pp. 3-4, Sep. 20), the U.S. did express interest in commitments to long-term objectives for alleviating anthropogenic climate change and its consequences. One goal it would consider was proposed at the meeting by the European Community: stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations (as distinct from emissions) quickly enough to allow ecosystems to adapt. This concept is analogous to the critical loads approach applied to acid deposition in recent years. As with previous meetings, funding to assist developing countries to meet any future agreements was also at issue. (See also Intl. Environ. Rptr., p. 502, Sep. 25, 1991; Sci. News, p. 215, Oct. 5.)