U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
February 15, 2005

Statement by Richard Boucher, Spokesman

United States Commitment to Address Climate Change

The United States is working domestically and internationally to address the long-term challenge of global climate change. U.S. policies are based on meeting the multiple objectives of improving energy security, promoting economic growth and development, reducing poverty, reducing traditional air pollution, and mitigating greenhouse gases.

President Bush has committed America to reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of the U.S. economy by 18 percent by 2012 – preventing the emission of more than 500 million tons of carbon over this period. A comprehensive, innovative program of domestic and climate change initiatives supports this goal.

While the United States and countries with binding emissions restrictions under the Kyoto Protocol are taking different paths, our destination is the same, and compatible with other efforts.

For 2005, the United States has committed nearly $5.8 billion to address climate change:

· Almost $2 billion for scientific research into climate change.
· Nearly $3 billion for climate change technology research, development, and deployment.
· Over $200 million for foreign aid programs that contribute climate change benefits.
· Almost $700 million for renewable energy and energy efficiency through tax incentives

This budget helps fund the five cutting edge multilateral energy initiatives (The Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum; The International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy; Methane to Markets Partnership; International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor; Generation IV International Forum for Advanced Nuclear Technology) that represent technologies needed to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale. It also funds the Group on Earth Observations, a major international partnership to improve our understanding of the science of climate change.

The United States has also initiated 14 bilateral climate partnerships with countries and regional organizations that along with the United States account for over 70% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. These are resulting in joint projects on climate change science, cleaner energy technologies, and policy approaches to greenhouse gases.

For further information, please see Fact sheet on U.S. Climate Change Policy (http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2004/38641.htm) and Fact Sheet on Bilateral and Regional Partnerships (http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2004/39438.htm).