Facebook Twitter Email
JUNE 12, 2001

While still expressing doubts about its causes, President Bush on Monday said the United States will lead the way in research on global warming, promising to provide solutions that are both economically and scientifically sound.

"[M]y administration is committed to a leadership role on the issue of climate change," said Bush. "We recognize our responsibility and will meet it at home, in our hemisphere and in the world."

The Rose Garden speech -- Bush's first on the issue since rejecting the Kyoto Protocol earlier this year -- served as a prelude to his first official trip to Europe, where he will discuss climate change with leaders there. Environmentalists and the international community have criticized Bush for withdrawing from the 1997 global warming pact, an agreement signed by the Clinton administration but which the Senate refused to ratify.

Underscoring a number of problems the Senate saw with the protocol, Bush stung back at his detractors here and abroad. Developing nations like China and India, he noted, were exempt from the provisions of the agreement, despite being among the top 10 producers of the gases thought to contribute to global warming.

Bush also said Kyoto had "unrealistic" goals which were "arbitrary and not based upon science." Many countries wouldn't be able to meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, he asserted, and for Americans, living up to the goals would mean economic disaster.

"For America, complying with those mandates would have a negative economic impact with layoffs of workers and price increases for consumers," threatened Bush, rejecting mandatory controls on emissions.

Instead, Bush said, the nation will develop technological initiatives to understand, study, and monitor climate change. And although he accepted responsibility for the United States being the largest emitter of man-made gases, he clearly placed burdens on other countries to do their part.

"We also recognize the other part of the story, that the rest of the world emits 80 percent of all greenhouse gases, and many of those emissions come from developing countries," he said. "This is a challenge that requires a 100 percent effort, ours and the rest of the world's."

Naturally, Bush's alternatives drew criticism from environmental groups who said the proposals were behind the times. They also discounted his seriousness and commitment, unpersuaded by Bush's level of detail in his speech.

Bush today is meeting with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain. Spanish citizens staged protests prior to his arrival, criticizing his views on the death penalty and other issues.

On Wednesday, he'll meet with NATO allies in Brussels, Belgium. Thursday will include a trip to Sweden to attend a summit of U.S. and European leaders.

Bush on Global Warming:
Text | Audio | Video

Get Bush's Global Warming Report:
Climate Change Review - Initial Report (The White House 6/11)

Relevant Links:
Global warming, Environmental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming

Related Stories:
Bush to push own global warming pact (6/11)
Panel tells Bush global warming is real (6/7)
Bush to take on global warming (6/6)
Stevens: What's global warming? (5/30)
Norton hit on environment, budget (4/25)
Bush rated low on environment (4/24)
Babbitt assails Bush's environmental record (4/23)
Whitman says here to stay at EPA (4/23)
Senate wants US in global warming talks (4/9)
Europeans want to discuss global warming (4/3)
Bush pushes hemispheric development (3/30)
US: No to Kyoto (3/28)
Whitman warned about Bush's credibility (3/27)
Environment: The GOP strikes back (3/21)
Peabody Coal fought Bush's promise (3/26)
Bush sends foot in mouth to EU (3/16)
Bush criticized for air decision (3/15)
Bush backs off environmental promise (3/14)