International Cooperation
Related Links
White House Climate Change Policy
U.S. Agency for International Development
The United States is engaged in extensive international efforts on climate change. EPA actively participates in multilateral and bilateral activities by establishing partnerships and providing leadership, technical expertise and capacity building support. Multilaterally, the United States is the largest funder of activities under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The U.S. remains fully committed to multilateral action under the UNFCCC, and has created or worked to revitalize a range of international climate initiatives within the last two years.
- Multilateral Activities (more than two countries)
- Bilateral Activities (between two countries)
- UNFCCC Commitments
As a Party to the UNFCCC, the United States shares with other countries
its ultimate objective: stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations
in the atmosphere at a level that prevents dangerous human-induced interference
with the climate system. In February 2002, President Bush reaffirmed America’s
commitment to the Framework Convention and its central goal, while also
making clear that he could not commit the U.S. to the Kyoto Protocol. The
United States decided not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol because it does
not mandate emissions reductions from all countries (some of which are
major trading partners) and as a result, could damage the economy. Recent
analysis from the U.S. Climate Change Science Program suggests that greenhouse
gas emissions from developing countries are expected to exceed emissions
from developed countries within the next 25 years. More
information on the Kyoto Protocol.