CLIMAIE WATCH
IFFIEF

AN INFORMATION UPDATE FROM THE GLOBAL CLIMATE COALITION

Volume 5, Issue 1

"Million American Jobs at Risk"
Labor Warns White House
Climate Policies of Administration Draw Heat from AFL-CIO, Other Unions
Concerned that the Clinton Administration is ignoring the job-impact consequences of its climate treaty
position, organized labor has appealed to the White House to slow down. An AFL-CIO appeal to the
Administration centered on the effects of carbon taxes — a tool to force reductions in fossil fuel use -noting: "These taxes are highly regressive and will be most harmful to citizens who live on fixed incomes or
work at poverty-level wages." In addition, a video produced for members of the United Mine Workers
Union warns that more than one million American jobs are at risk if the White House succeeds in support of
caps on energy use. GET A COPY OF THE STATEMENT. Call AFL-CIO Public Affairs at 202-6375000.

Unions Keep Eye on Rising Issue of Climate
The U.S. business community is not alone in its concern about the economic hit that the nation -- its
workers and most vulnerable citizens -- will take if the Clinton Administration's current climate policy
prevails. Keeping a close eye on United Nations' climate negotiations, in the U.S. and in Europe, are the
Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Union, the United Mine Workers of America,
and the AFL-CIO's Industrial Union Department.

Is White House Gearing Up for Massive Federal Campaign?
Government insiders say that a huge Federally-funded persuasion campaign may be in the offing to climax
next December at the climate treaty meetings in Kyoto, Japan. Sources point to a strategy session held at
the White House in late January. Vice President Al Gore is said to have called in strategists from various
climate-related agencies and department chiefs to begin to lay the groundwork for the decisive negotiations
on legally binding targets and timetables for capping energy use, expected at Kyoto. Apparently, sources
say, the Vice President is reluctant to commit to the high-profile global event in December unless the
Federal government has done its best to convince the American people that handing over U.S. energy
policy to international bureaucrats is in the U.S.' best interests. Gore recognizes that this is a tough sell -and will require a major effort.

What's Killing the Checkerspot Butterfly?
Mysteries such as this are explored in a booklet from Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSEF), now
available free in limited quantities. Is the Checkerspot truly a victim of global warming or is the expansion
of urban areas to blame? The booklet -- Global Warming: A Political, Economic and
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Scientific Backgrounder -- looks into scientific questions surrounding climate issues, and zeroes in on the
inevitable results of White House-supported policies that would set limits on the emission of greenhouse
gases. ASK FORA COPY. Call CSEF at 202-783-3870

"Yes, We Can!" Volunteers Report Cuts in Greenhouse Gas
Government has to force greenhouse gas emissions? Industry programs won't work? Tell it to the 108
organizations who have voluntarily eliminated close to 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and nearly
154,000 metric tons of methane and other gases. Reports filed by these companies and other entities with
the Energy Information Administration blow away the rigid line taken by the Clinton Administration that
voluntary industry reduction programs have not been effective. The reporting entities account for 23% of
total U.S. CO2 emissions. Twelve of the reports show emissions reduced either below a baseline year
(1990) or an average from 1987 to 1990. GET THE REPORT-- Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases
1995 U.S. Government Printing Office at (202)512-1800 — cost: $5.50.

Voice of the Farmer: "Binding Controls Would Handicap Us"
American farmers and ranchers fear the result of one-sided, rigid controls being pushed by the Clinton
Administration. "Binding controls on greenhouse gas emissions would severely disadvantage U.S. farmers
and ranchers in today's global markets," says a recent report from theLAmerican Farm Bureau Federation:1'j
The Federation reports that U.S. interests would be at a seri unlisadvantage with agricultural producers in
other countries. LEARN MORE. Contact Dennis Stott at AFBF: 202-484-3604

Big Bucks Spent on Climate Negotiations, GAO Report Finds
A recent report by the General Accounting Office (GAO) found that four of five federal agencies spent the
better part of their international environmental funds on climate change. The report, requested by Senate
Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms, (R-NC), indicates that international spending on
environmental programs was a little more than $975 million from FY '93 through FY '95. Surprisingly,
about 71 percent of that money went toward the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change. Senator Helms says his committee will use the information to set funding levels for these
programs in FY '98.

Rush to Judge, Short on Facts? Ask GCC
At last month's international climate meeting in Bonn, Germany, delegate eagerness to adopt policies
outpaced the facts, in the opinion of the Global Climate Coalition ((ICC). "Delegates were pushed to act
on very complicated proposals without adequate information," said John Shlaes, GCC executive director.
The GCC, long devoted to full consideration of scientific evidence and economic impact before actions are
taken that will handicap U.S. interests, urges full examination of available data, and offers a range of
factual information to any interested policy maker or news agency. GET THE GCC PERSPECTIVE.
Call the Press Office at 202-628-3622.

CLIMATE WATCH Brief is published monthly by the Global Climate Coalition, an organization of
business trade associations and private companies established to coordinate business participation
in the scientific and policy debate on global climate change. Permission to quote or reprint is not
necessary, although attribution is appreciated. GLOBAL CLIMATE COALITION. 1331
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE NW, SUITE 1500 NORTH TOWER, WASHINGTON, DC 20004.
PRESS OFFICE 202-628-3622. Volume 5, Issue 1

GLOBAL CLIMATE COALITION • 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 1500 North Tower, Washington, DC 20004 • Press Office: (202) 628-3622