Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today submitted the following statement for the record at the Committee hearing on global climate change:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  I would like to join my colleagues in welcoming my good friend Vice President Gore this morning, and thank him for the tremendous work he has done over the years.  He has not only raised awareness of the dangers of global climate change; he has transformed the debate and brought it into the public consciousness.  I would also like to recognize our distinguished Chairman’s own work in confronting global climate change, most recently during his trip to Poland in December as the leader of the U.S. delegation to the UN Conference on global warming.

In spite of the doubts still voiced by some, the debate over whether human-related activities are contributing to global climate change is over.  The most reliable scientific data we have is crystal clear on this issue.  According to a November 2007 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international panel of some of the most respected scientists in the world, the earth’s average temperature has increased between 1.1 to 1.6°F since the Industrial Revolution, and if nothing is done to curb greenhouse emissions, the 21st century could see global temperatures rise another 3.2 to 7.2 degrees.  While this warming trend may seem minor to the casual observer, even relatively small fluctuations in global temperatures could have potentially devastating impacts on numerous species of plants and wildlife, reduce global agricultural yields, increase the frequency and severity of storms and hurricanes, and contribute to the spread of disease.  These dangers represent a global threat, and any real solution to climate change must be a global effort in which all nations are involved.

Global action is urgently needed to limit greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels in order to prevent serious environmental damage, economic turmoil and increased global conflict over resources.  However, such an effort is impossible without the full support and cooperation of the United States.  With only 4 percent of the world’s population but responsible for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions, the United States has a moral responsibility to lead.  Nevertheless, in spite of this urgency, the Bush Administration did not.  Indeed, for all the treaty’s flaws, it was shameful that the Bush Administration abandoned the Kyoto Protocol. It is high time the United States once again become a leader in addressing the grave threat of climate change. For eight long years, sound science has been ignored, good policy has been ridiculed, and the U.S. relegated itself to the back bench.

We must also be clear that the dimensions of this phenomenon are not solely environmental.  Our planet’s addiction to fossil fuels has serious ramifications for the global economy.  Recent fluctuations in energy prices have impacted the price of food and other essential goods, contributing to higher food prices and food insecurity around the world.  Moreover, dependency on fossil fuels has led to increased political tensions between producer and consumer states, including most recently Russia and the Ukraine, which led to shortages throughout much of Europe. The U.S. in particular has become more dependent on foreign sources of energy in recent years, and Americans have seen more and more of their hard-earned wealth transferred overseas, often to regimes hostile to the United States with poor human rights records.

With the commencement of the Copenhagen Conference later this year, the United States has an opportunity to reengage with the international community and not simply take a greater role in the global effort against climate change, but lead the world in doing so.  Secretary Clinton’s appointment of Todd Stern as special envoy for climate change is a welcome sign that the Obama Administration plans to the treat the threat of global warming with the seriousness it requires and work with the international community to find a comprehensive solution.  Once again, I’d like to thank my good friend Vice President Gore for testifying before this committee today, I look forward to our discussion.

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