[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 10, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14944-S14945]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           SECOND MUNICIPAL LEADERS' SUMMIT ON CLIMATE CHANGE

 Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I would like to take this 
opportunity to congratulate the municipal leaders' communique which was 
produced at the Second Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change. It 
is important for our Nation to be made aware of the problems and 
progress in the climate research and air quality fields. I ask that 
this communique be printed in today's Record.
  The communique follows:

    Article 1--Local Authorities' Commitments to Climate Protection

       1.1 We, the participants at the Second Municipal Leaders' 
     Summit on Climate Change, urge local authorities, especially 
     those in industrialized nations, who have not yet undertaken 
     climate protection activities to:
       (a) endeavor to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 20% 
     from 1990 levels by 2005;
       (b) develop a local action plan to reduce urban level 
     emissions of greenhouse gases and protect carbon sinks, which 
     could include protecting and establishing municipal forests, 
     managing urban growth, establishing sustainable 
     transportation modes, reducing the procurement of tropical 
     wood, etc.;
       (c) set a target for emissions reduction appropriate to 
     local municipal capacity and circumstances;
       (d) undertake to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas 
     emissions in the municipality's own operations, including 
     building, facilities, vehicle fleets, and employee travel;
       (e) undertake initiatives to change public attitudes and 
     behavior to reduce energy consumption energy use;
       (f) promote the advancement of renewable energy sources: 
     hydro-energy, solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, 
     biogas, biomass, as the only sustainable alternative forms 
     of energy, noting that existing nuclear technology is not 
     an appropriate alternative to fossil fuels.
       Specific target dates for the above activities will be 
     established by ICLEI's Cities for Climate Protection 
     Campaign.
       1.2 We urge local authorities in non-industrialised 
     countries and countries in transition to strive to break the 
     link between economic growth and energy consumption and, 
     instead of imitating the path taken by industrialised 
     nations, to take the wiser course and actively promote and 
     give priority to renewable energy sources such as solar power 
     and to newly emerging energy-efficient technologies. Energy 
     efficiency will also enable the freeing up of financial 
     resources for the economic and social development of these 
     communities in a more sustainable manner.

           Article II--Communication to National Governments

       2.1 We urge national governments and their utilities to 
     accord local authorities 

[[Page S 14945]]
     greater powers, responsibilities and resources to enhance their 
     capacity to reduce local energy use and thus reduce net 
     greenhouse gas emissions.
       2.2 We urge national governments to include local 
     participation in the formulation of their national climate 
     action plans and to enable local authorities by providing 
     adequate training and financial resources, for example, by 
     creating a dedicated fund to finance national and municipal 
     climate protection efforts.
       2.3 We urge national governments to give priority in their 
     public infrastructure investments to local projects that 
     reduce energy use, save money, improve air quality, create 
     jobs, mitigate poverty, stimulate the local economy, and make 
     communities more liveable.
       2.4 We urge national governments to be innovative in their 
     application of regulatory, tax, and other economic 
     instruments to help adjust public and private sector 
     behaviour in order to reduce fossil fuel consumption, protect 
     and restore forests, and encourage the use of renewable 
     energy sources.

        Article III--Communication to the Conference of Parties


       (a) recognition of local authorities as a distinct sector

       3.1 For the critical purposes of implementing the Framework 
     Convention on Climate Change, we urge the Conference of the 
     Parties (COP) to recognise that local authorities around the 
     world are strategic partners with national governments in 
     climate protection by recognising that the municipal sector 
     is distinct from other sectors.


         (b) local authority's input into the subsidiary bodies

       3.2 We urge the COP to establish consultative processes 
     within the Subsidiary Bodies, pursuant to Articles 9 and 10 
     of the Framework Convention, which permit and encourage local 
     authorities as a sector to advise the Subsidiary Bodies with 
     respect to scientific and technical matters, as well as to 
     implementation of the Convention.
       3.3 We urge the COP to endorse the establishment of a Local 
     Authority Climate Assembly to facilitate municipal advice to 
     the COP on scientific, technical, and implementation matters 
     subject to Articles 9 and 10.
       3.4 We urge the COP to include local authority 
     representation on all general advisory committees established 
     to advise the Subsidiary Bodies.


            (c) greenhouse gas reductions in annex 1 parties

       3.5 We urge the COP to endorse and implement the ``Draft 
     Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on 
     Climate Change on Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction,'' 
     proposed by Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of the Alliance of 
     Small Island States (AOSIS). Key provisions of the draft 
     protocol propose that Annex 1 Parties shall:
       (a) Reduce their 1990 level of anthropogenic emissions of 
     carbon dioxide by at least 20% by the year 2005.
       (b) Adopt specific targets and timetables to limit or 
     reduce other greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal 
     Protocol, including targets and timetables for methane, 
     nitrous oxides and fluorocarbons.
       (c) Stimulate the use of green, renewable sources of 
     energy.
       3.6 We urge the COP to give due recognition to local 
     authorities that undertake to reduce their emissions by 20% 
     or more, by endorsing the goals of the Cities for Climate 
     Protection Campaign, which is urging cities to adopt a 20% 
     reduction target as a minimum, and by facilitating 
     appropriate UN-sponsored recognition events and activities.


          (d) greenhouse gas reductions in non-annex 1 parties

       3.7 We urge the COP and other UN agencies to recognise the 
     important role that local authorities in both Annex 1 \1\ and 
     non-Annex Parties can play in contributing to greenhouse-gas 
     reduction through municipal policy exchanges, technology 
     transfer, and promotion of new technologies.
     \1\ Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, 
     Czech Republic, Denmark, European Community, Estonia, 
     Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, 
     Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New 
     Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian 
     Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, 
     United Kingdom, United States of America.
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       3.8 We urge the COP and other UN agencies to facilitate 
     this crucial partnership and help build local capacity for 
     reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by ensuring that local 
     authorities in developing countries and countries in 
     transition have access to scientific findings, technology, 
     programs and funding that will be available for the 
     implementation of the goals set out in the Framework 
     Convention on Climate Change--through their respective 
     national governments where appropriate--with the aim of 
     building local capacity in the area of methodologies and 
     policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

     Second Municipal Leaders' Summit on Climate Change, Berlin, 
     Germany, 29 March 1995.

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