President Bush Calls for Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Goals

June 6, 2007

President Bush announced on May 31st that the United States will work with other nations to establish a new framework on greenhouse gas emissions for when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. By the end of next year, the President aims to reach an international agreement that establishes a long-term global goal for reducing greenhouse gases. "In recent years, science has deepened our understanding of climate change and opened new possibilities for confronting it," said President Bush. "The United States takes this issue seriously."

To help develop this goal, the United States plans to convene a series of meetings of nations that produce most greenhouse gas emissions, including nations with rapidly growing economies like India and China. Over the course of the next 18 months, the President envisions participating nations bringing together industry leaders from different sectors of their economies, such as power generation, alternative fuels, and transportation. These leaders will form working groups that will cooperate on ways to share clean energy technology and best practices. Each country will also establish midterm national targets and programs that reflect their own mix of energy sources and future energy needs. The participating countries will also create a strong and transparent system for measuring each country's performance.

According to the President, this new framework would help the United States fulfill its responsibilities under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The United States will work with the 188 other nations that are part of this convention to adapt to the impacts of climate change, gain access to clean and more energy-efficient technologies, and promote sustainable forestry and agriculture. President Bush announced the new initiative towards the end of a speech to the Global Leadership Council. See the President's full speech, a White House fact sheet on the greenhouse gas goals, and the "Essential Background" page on the UNFCCC Web site.