Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 101 Part 3.djvu/110

 101 STAT. 1408 15 USC 2901

PUBLIC LAW 100-204—DEC. 22, 1987

SEC. 1102. FINDINGS. The Congress finds as follows:

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International organizations.

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(1) There exists evidence that manmade pollution—the release of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, and other trace gases into the atmosphere—may be producing a longterm and substantial increase in the average temperature on Earth, a phenomenon known as global warming through the greenhouse effect. (2) By early in the next century, an increase in Earth temperature could— (A) so alter global weather patterns as to have an effect on existing agricultural production and on the habitability of large portions of the Earth; and (B) cause thermal expansion of the oceans and partial melting of the polar ice caps and glaciers, resulting in rising sea levels. (3) Important research into the problem of climate change is now being conducted by various United States Government and international agencies, and the continuation and intensification of those efforts will be crucial to the development of an effective United States response. (4) While the consequences of the greenhouse effect may not be fully manifest until the next century, ongoing pollution and deforestation may be contributing now to an irreversible process. Necessary actions must be identified and implemented in time to protect the climate. (5) The global nature of this problem will require vigorous efforts to achieve international cooperation aimed at minimizing and responding to adverse climate change; such international cooperation will be greatly enhanced by United States leadership. A key step in international cooperation will be the meeting of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program, scheduled for June 1989, which will seek to determine a direction for worldwide efforts to control global climate change. (6) Effective United States leadership in the international arena will depend upon a coordinated national policy.

15 USC 2901

SEC. 1103. MANDATE FOR ACTION ON THE GLOBAL CLIMATE.

fnternational agreements.

(^) GOALS OF UNITED STATES POLICY.—United States poHcy s h o u l d seek to—

Research and Scr^nce'and^ technology.

(1) increase worldwide understanding of the greenhouse effect and its environmental and health consequences; (2) foster cooperation among nations to develop more extensive and coordinated scientific research efforts with respect to the greenhouse effect; i. (3) identify technologies and activities to limit mankind's adverse effect on the global climate by— (A) slowing the rate of increase of concentrations of ,,.;; •.. {:^ greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in the near term; and "^r.. - ,:., 1 (B) stabilizing or reducing atmospheric concentrations of ' greenhouse gases over the long term; and (4) work toward multilateral agreements. President of U.S. (b) FORMULATION OF UNITED STATES POLICY.—The President, .^., through the Environmental Protection Agency, shall be responsible for developing and proposing to Congress a coordinated national policy on global climate change. Such policy formulation shall con-

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