[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 11 (Monday, March 19, 2001)]
[Pages 444-445]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Members of the Senate on the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change

March 13, 2001

Dear __________ :

    Thank you for your letter of March 6, 2001, asking for the 
Administration's views on global climate change, in particular the Kyoto 
Protocol and efforts to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act. 
My Administration takes the issue of global climate change very 
seriously.
    As you know, I oppose the Kyoto Protocol because it exempts 80 
percent of the world, including major population centers such as China 
and India, from compliance, and would cause serious harm to the U.S. 
economy. The Senate's vote, 95-0, shows that there is a clear consensus 
that the Kyoto Protocol is an unfair and ineffective means of addressing 
global climate change concerns.
    As you also know, I support a comprehensive and balanced national 
energy policy that takes into account the importance of improving air 
quality. Consistent with this balanced approach, I intend to work with 
the Congress on a multipollutant strategy to require power plants to 
reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and mercury. Any 
such strategy would include phasing in reductions over a reasonable 
period of time, providing regulatory certainty, and offering market-
based incentives to help industry meet the targets. I do not believe, 
however, that the government should impose on power plants mandatory 
emissions reductions for carbon dioxide, which is not a ``pollutant'' 
under the Clean Air Act.
    A recently released Department of Energy Report, ``Analysis of 
Strategies for Reducing Multiple Emissions from Power Plants,'' 
concluded that including caps on carbon dioxide emissions as part of a 
multiple emissions strategy would lead to an even more dramatic shift 
from coal to natural gas for electric power generation and significantly 
higher electricity prices compared to scenarios in which only sulfur 
dioxide and nitrogen oxides were reduced.
    This is important new information that warrants a reevaluation, 
especially at a time of rising energy prices and a serious energy 
shortage. Coal generates more than half of America's electricity supply. 
At a time when California has already experienced energy shortages, and 
other Western states are worried about price and availability of energy 
this summer, we must be very careful not to take actions that could harm 
consumers. This is especially true given the incomplete state of 
scientific knowledge of the causes of, and solutions to, global climate 
change and the lack of commercially available technologies for removing 
and storing carbon dioxide.
    Consistent with these concerns, we will continue to fully examine 
global climate

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change issues--including the science, technologies, market-based 
systems, and innovative options for addressing concentrations of 
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. I am very optimistic that, with the 
proper focus and working with our friends and allies, we will be able to 
develop technologies, market incentives, and other creative ways to 
address global climate change.
    I look forward to working with you and others to address global 
climate change issues in the context of a national energy policy that 
protects our environment, consumers, and economy.
     Sincerely,
                                                George W. Bush

Note: Identical letters were sent to Senators Jesse Helms, Larry E. 
Craig, Pat Roberts, and Chuck Hagel.