[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 22, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10920-S10921]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       A GLOBAL WARMING CHALLENGE

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I would like to comment on what is a 
challenge unique in human history that we face as a nation, and I am 
talking about global warming. It is unique because we have to make 
important decisions without a visible crisis staring us in the face.
  In the 1970's, we had the long gas lines, we had two oil price 
shocks, the taking of hostages by a revolutionary mob in Iran, and that 
spurred our Nation to reduce its reliance on oil. And in the 1960's and 
the 1970's we had the dark clouds of particulates and the smog that 
smothered urban areas which moved us to clean up the air. Today, we are 
faced with a potentially greater threat, but it is not a visible 
threat. We are talking about something that is going to happen, 
something that is going to affect our children and their children, and 
the question is what are we going to do? It is a challenge for my State 
of Minnesota. It is a challenge for our country. It is a challenge for 
the whole human race. It is also a challenge about leadership. I am 
talking about the problem of global warming, the problem of climate 
change.
  In 1992, for the Earth summit, President Bush made a commitment to 
return greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by the year 2000, and we have 
not lived up to that commitment. We have not honored that commitment. I 
believe the President, in 1993, made a similar commitment that we would 
reduce our greenhouse gases to the 1990 level by the year 2000.
  I believe that the President's announcement today will fall far short 
of meeting this challenge--but I certainly want to say to the President 
and to the White House that I appreciate their efforts to try to move 
this process forward as we move toward a very important international 
gathering in Kyoto.
  For more than a decade, the scientific community has investigated the 
issue. Initially, its reports called for more research, better modeling 
techniques, more data. But in December 1995, the Intergovernmental 
Panel on Climate Change, composed of more than 2,000 scientists from 
more than 100 countries, concluded that there was a discernible human 
impact on global climate. In June, more than 2,000 U.S. scientists, 
including Nobel laureates, signed the Scientists' Statement on Global 
Disruption, which reads in part that the accumulation of greenhouse 
gases commits the Earth irreversibly to further global climate change 
and consequent ecological, economic and social disruption.

  Mr. President, I believe as a Senator from Minnesota that we have 
reached a point where unduly delaying action on reducing greenhouse gas 
emissions is foolhardy and it is tantamount to betrayal of our future 
generations. We know what this is going to do. The consequences can be 
catastrophic for our country and for the world, and I believe that the 
President and the United States of America have to do better in 
addressing this challenge.
  What has saddened me about this debate is that I believe we should be 
below 1990 levels certainly before the year 2010. I believe our country 
should make a commitment to meeting these kind of targets. I think the 
evidence shows that as opposed to being on the defensive, we should be 
proactive, and the very bridge the President talks about building to 
the next century is going to be a bridge that combines a sustainable 
environment with sustainable energy with a sustainable economy. I think 
the country that is the most clean country is going to be the country 
with an economy powered by clean technologies, industries and 
businesses. It is going to be a country run with an emphasis on energy 
efficiency and with a renewable energy policy. It is going to be a 
country which will generate far more jobs in the renewable energy and 
clean technology sectors, which are labor intensive, small business 
intensive and community building sectors.
  We have an opportunity as we move into the next millennium to really 
create a new marriage between our environment and our economy. We are 
all but strangers and guests on this land, as the Catholic bishops have 
said. We have to take action now. What the President is calling for is 
not likely to be enough to address this challenge and the task before 
us. We can do better as a nation. We can be more respectful of our 
environment while still growing our economy.
  In the Red River Valley, the people of North Dakota and people of 
Minnesota went through a living hell this past winter and spring. We 
don't want the floods in the Red River Valley to be 5-year occurrences. 
And there will be other catastrophic consequences from global warming. 
For my State it could be agricultural devastation; for my State it 
could be deforestation and lower lake levels in the Boundary Waters, an 
area that we love, a crown jewel wilderness area in northern Minnesota.
  The more important point, however, is that not only for ourselves but 
for our children and grandchildren we need to take much stronger 
action. We have to stand up to some of the powerful forces that are 
saying no to a meaningful treaty. We have to lay out a proactive, 
positive agenda which makes it crystal clear that energy efficiency and 
renewable energy and clean technologies will create many more small 
businesses and many more jobs for our country. This marriage between 
our economy and our environment would respect the environment, respect 
the economy, and would give us an energy policy that is much more 
productive and positive, while helping us to build and sustain our 
communities and our country.
  I am disappointed in the position the President seems to have taken 
on targets and timetables for climate change action. I hope as we move 
forward toward an international treaty, our country will take a 
stronger negotiating position. We need to be the leaders of the world 
in meeting what I think is perhaps the most profound environmental 
challenge which we have ever faced.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.

[[Page S10921]]

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I ask consent to speak as in morning 
business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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