Mr. President, I rise today to discuss an issue that is very important to a large number of Americans. It is the issue of global climate change and the control of greenhouse gases.
One of the most profound challenges we face in the 21st century is the problem of global climate change. Global climate change has the potential to cause widespread damage to large parts of our planet. An increasing body of scientific evidence indicates that human activities are altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases - primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The heat trapping property of these greenhouse gases is undisputed. Scientists and public policy experts are convinced that we need to address this problem.
We cannot wait longer for even more scientific proof of when and how climate change will begin. One Pacific leader summarized our dilemma best when he said "We do not have the luxury of waiting for conclusive proof of global warming. The proof, we fear, will kill us."
Prudence dictates that we start addressing this issue immediately. Solutions may not be easy, quick, or cheap; however, if we do not address this problem soon, the costs will be much higher.
President Bush's reversal of his carbon dioxide pledge is a serious blow to the efforts to control greenhouse gases. The Administration's position on the Kyoto Protocol diminishes the role of the United States in developing a suitable framework to deal with the challenge of global climate change in a cooperative manner with other countries. The United States has the scientific and technical prowess and industrial might to play a leading role in controlling the emissions of greenhouse gases. As the source of over a quarter of the planet's carbon dioxide emissions, we have a responsibility to act decisively. If we abandon our leadership role, not only will history judge us harshly, but we will also pay a dear price for our shortsightedness.
I represent the state where debate over global warming began. The Mauna Loa Climate Observatory in Hawaii was the first to document a steady increase in the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels more than 30 years ago. Since then many authoritative studies have been conducted that document increased levels of greenhouse gases. It is now widely accepted by the scientific community that human activities such as burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and certain land-use practices are increasing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Careful measurement of those gases in the atmosphere, and analyses of ancient ice cores in Greenland and Antarctica, leave no doubt that their global concentrations are increasing.
Modeling studies show that emissions of greenhouse gases due to human activities are affecting the atmosphere in a predictable manner. Confidence in the ability of complex models to project future climatic conditions has increased. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities.
Temperatures have risen during the past four decades in the lowest 8 kilometers of the atmosphere. Snow cover and ice extent have decreased. There has been widespread retreat of glaciers in the non-polar regions during the 20th century. Average global sea level has risen and ocean heat content has increased.
The effects of major global climate change on the U.S. and the rest of the world will be devastating. I would like to describe the possible effects of climate change on Hawaii. As an island state with limited land mass, we are very sensitive to global climate changes. The worldwide problem of greenhouse gases threatens Hawaii. Honolulu's average temperature has increased by 4.4 degrees over the last century. By 2100, average temperatures in Hawaii could increase by three to five degrees Fahrenheit in all seasons and slightly more in the fall. Rainfall has decreased by about 20 percent over the past 90 years. Estimates for future rainfall are highly uncertain because reliable projections of El Niño do not exist. It is possible that large precipitation increases could occur in the summer and fall. The intensity of hurricanes may be affected. Expansion of the habitat of disease-carrying insects could increase the potential for diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.
In Honolulu, Nawiliwili, and Hilo, our major harbors, sea level has increased six to fourteen inches in the last century and is likely to rise another 17 to 25 inches by 2100. The expected rise in the sea level could cause flooding of low lying property, loss of coastal wetlands, beach erosion, saltwater contamination of drinking water, and damage to coastal roads and bridges. The shorelines of the Hawaiian Islands contain some of the world's most famous white-sand beaches. The effects of an accelerated sea level rise on the coral reef ecosystem which protects our islands are poorly understood. Higher temperatures could cause coral bleaching and the death of coral reefs. Hawaii's economy could also be hurt if the combination of higher temperatures, changes in weather, and the effects of sea level rise on beaches make Hawaii less attractive to visitors.
Hawaii's diverse environment and geographic isolation have resulted in a great variety of native species found only in Hawaii. However, 70 percent of U.S. extinctions of species have occurred in Hawaii, and many species are endangered. Climate change would add another threat. People around the world are beginning to take this problem seriously. To reduce carbon dioxide output, Mexico is planning to double its geothermal power generation, placing it third behind the United States and the Philippines in the use of geothermal power. China, with 11 percent of the world's carbon dioxide output, second to the U.S., has reduced its greenhouse gas output by 17 percent between 1997 and 1999.
In the U.S., municipal governments are working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. In 1993, Portland, Oregon, became the first U.S. city to implement its own CO2 reduction plan. Portland has been joined by Denver and Minneapolis.
In recent years, more and more multinational corporations have taken positive steps to address the problem of greenhouse gases. British Petroleum set the goal of cutting carbon dioxide output 10 percent below its 1990 level. Four years later it is halfway there. Last October, Alcan, DuPont, and others pledged to reduce their greenhouse emissions to levels meeting or exceeding the Kyoto requirements. Polaroid, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and others are also committed to reducing corporate greenhouse gas emissions. Fuel cells are on the verge of providing big breakthroughs in the use of clean energy. All major automobile companies are committed to this new, clean technology.
Mr. President, we cannot wait for further scientific proof to materialize. If we do not begin to control greenhouse gases in a reasonable time frame, we may reach the point where it may be exceedingly difficult to avoid the drastic effects of global warming. It will not take extremes of warming to lead to major impacts.
We need to address the problem of global climate change, and the sooner we start on this the better off we will be. No one wants our efforts to combat carbon dioxide emissions to become an economic nightmare.
An effective program to fight climate change need not involve huge increases in energy prices or draconian rules that choke industries and damage our economic well-being. We need to employ creative approaches and let American ingenuity loose. We must invest in the development of new technologies that will provide new and environmentally friendly sources of energy, newer and environmentally friendly technologies that allow use of conventional and non-conventional energy sources. We must work with other nations in a cooperative manner. A well-crafted strategy can address global climate change and maintain our preeminent economic position in the world.
I urge President Bush to reconsider his position on the control of carbon dioxide. I urge the Administration to work with other countries in developing suitable and equitable approaches in solving this shared problem of control of greenhouse gases. Our positive leadership is necessary if we are to avoid the catastrophic effects of global climate change. Our world cannot afford widespread disruption of ecosystems and weather patterns that may result from unmitigated emissions of greenhouse gases.
I yield the floor.
