United Nations Negotiations, Kyoto Agreement

In December 1997, delegates at the Kyoto conference reached agreement on their final day of meetings. The United States agreed to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases to 7% below what they were in 1990 by 2008. This agreement is much more stringent than the original proposal by the Clinton Administration, which would have reached 1990 levels in 2008, but lower than the European Union plan, which called for a 15% reduction below 1990 levels. The EU will make cuts of 8% below 1990 levels. The US succeeded in including emissions trading and joint implementation schemes in the agreement, but a major disappointment for the United States was a lack of inclusion of developing countries in the agreement. Those negotiations were delayed until the next climate summit, which occurred in November 1998 in Buenos Aires.

As expected, the reaction to the treaty was mixed. In his remarks about the treaty, Vice President Gore stated “Because of yesterday’s agreement, we can now begin to reduce the forms of air pollution that cause global warming. Our air and water here at home will be cleaner, and our businesses will be more competitive in the new global economy.” The Sierra Club called it “a narrow victory.” But many in industry oppose the treaty because they feel it will harm the American economy. A majority of Republicans in Congress also oppose the agreement, primarily due to the lack of involvement of developing countries. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a member of the observing team at Kyoto, stated: “There’s no way we’ll even be close in the Senate to ratifying this agreement. We will kill this if the president signs it.”

On November 12 — during the Buenos Aires negotiations — Acting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Peter Burleigh signed the Kyoto Protocol, allowing the US to become the 60th nation to sign the protocol. Administration officials indicated, however, that they would not submit it to the Senate to be ratified. Vice President Gore stated:

Our signing of the Protocol underscores our determination to achieve a truly global solution to this global challenge. We hope to achieve progress in refining the market-based tools agreed to in Kyoto, and in securing the meaningful participation of key developing countries. Signing the Protocol, while an important step forward, imposes no obligations on the United States. The Protocol becomes binding only with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. As we have said before, we will not submit the Protocol for ratification without the meaningful participation of key developing countries in efforts to address climate change.

American Geological Institute

President Clinton on Global Warming and Climate Change

Environmental Actions by President Clinton and Vice President Gore

Al Gore Symbolically Signs the Kyoto Agreement

VP Al Gore Calls Patriarch Bartholomew "Green Patriarch" (Video)