Skip to main content

Climate Change Policies of the Clinton Administration

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Global Climate Change Policy and Carbon Markets

Part of the book series: Energy, Climate and the Environment ((ECE))

  • 1007 Accesses

Abstract

Rosenzweig summarizes the attempt made during the Clinton Administration to craft a domestic climate policy and similar efforts in the international climate change negotiations. In the US, the emphasis is on the proposed BTU tax, which was soundly defeated. Although modest, its political and substantive consequences continue to be felt, providing opponents with a roadmap to kill cap-and-trade legislation nearly 20 years later. Rosenzweig describes the Administration’s posture in the international negotiations, which resulted in the ill-fated KP. He elaborates its positions on such key issues as the role of developing countries and the creation of the carbon markets. A review of early carbon market activity and key initiatives which spurred it is also provided.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    United Nations. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Article 4 2. (b). 1992.

  2. 2.

    Clinton, Governor B., Senator A. Gore (1992) Putting People First: How We All Can Change America (Three Rivers Press). P. 97.

  3. 3.

    Gore, A. (1992) Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit (Emmaus, PA; Rodale, Inc.).

  4. 4.

    Office of Domestic and International Energy Policy. Briefing on Energy Taxes. US Department of Energy. This was a document that I maintained which was prepared for the Energy Secretary. 1993.

  5. 5.

    Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Options book. This was a document prepared for the Clinton administration. 1993. PP. 72–83.

  6. 6.

    Environment Options book, 1993. PP. 77–78.

  7. 7.

    William J. Clinton: ‘Address Before a Joint Session of Congress on Administration Goals’, February 17, 1993. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=47232.

  8. 8.

    Briefing on Energy Taxes. 1993.

  9. 9.

    William J. Clinton: ‘Address Before a Joint Session of Congress on Administration Goals’, February 17, 1993. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=47232.

  10. 10.

    William J. Clinton: ‘Remarks on Earth Day,’ April 21, 1993. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=46460.

  11. 11.

    United Nations. Glossary of Environmental Statistics. Report number: ST/ESA/STAT/SER.F/67, 1997.

  12. 12.

    Erlander, D. (1994) ‘The BTU Tax Experience: What Happened and Why It Happened’, 12 Pace Envtl. L. Rev. 12(1): 173–184.

  13. 13.

    D. Erlander (1994) ‘The BTU Tax Experience’, P. 179.

  14. 14.

    Final Vote for Roll Call 199. ‘Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993’. Available at the Clerk of the House Web Site: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1993/roll199.xml (27 May 1993).

  15. 15.

    Final Vote for Roll Call 406. ‘Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993’. Available at the

    Clerk of the House Web Site: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/1993/roll406.xml. (5 August 1993).

  16. 16.

    On the Conference Report to H.R. 2264. ‘Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993’. Available at: United States Senate Web Site: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=103&session=1&vote=00247 (6 August 1993).

  17. 17.

    Clinton, President W.J., Vice President A. Gore Jr. The Climate Change Action Plan. Executive Office of the President. 1993. PP. 26–27.

  18. 18.

    Clinton, President W.J., Vice President A. Gore Jr. Climate Change Action Plan. P. ii.

  19. 19.

    Clinton, President W.J., Vice President A. Gore Jr. Climate Change Action Plan. PP. 22–23.

  20. 20.

    Edison Electric Institute. Everyone has a responsibility to protect the environment. 1998.

  21. 21.

    EEI. Everyone has a responsibility.

  22. 22.

    EEI. Everyone has a responsibility.

  23. 23.

    Clinton, President W.J., Vice President A. Gore Jr. Climate Change Action Plan. PP. 26–27.

  24. 24.

    UNFCCC. Article 4 2. (a). United Nations. 1992.

  25. 25.

    UNFCCC. Article 4 2. (a).

  26. 26.

    Clinton, President W.J., Vice President A. Gore Jr. Climate Change Action Plan. PP. 26–27 and A II-1 to A II-4.

  27. 27.

    UNFCCC. Article 2.

  28. 28.

    UNFCCC. Article 4 2. (b).

  29. 29.

    UNFCCC. Article 4 2. (a).

  30. 30.

    UNFCCC. Article 3.

  31. 31.

    UNFCCC. Article 7.

  32. 32.

    UNFCCC. Article 4 2. (d).

  33. 33.

    UNFCCC. Article 4 (2) (d).

  34. 34.

    UNFCCC. Article 4 (2) (d).

  35. 35.

    The First Session. Report Of The Conference Of The Parties On Its First Session, Held At Berlin From 28 March To 7 April 1995, The Berlin Mandate. Decision 1/CP.1. United Nations. 1995

  36. 36.

    The Berlin Mandate. Decision 1/CP.1. United Nations. 1995.

  37. 37.

    The Berlin Mandate. Decision 1/CP.1. 1995.

  38. 38.

    The Berlin Mandate. Decision 1/CP.1. 1995.

  39. 39.

    The Berlin Mandate. Decision 1/CP.1. 1995. Many of the developing country commitments are included in Article 4 1. of the UNFCCC.

  40. 40.

    Activities implemented jointly under the pilot phase. Decision 5/CP.1. 1995.

  41. 41.

    Activities implemented jointly under the pilot phase. Decision 5/CP.1. 1995.

  42. 42.

    Report of the Conference of the Parties On Its Second Session, Held At Geneva From 8 to 19 July 1996, The Geneva Ministerial Declaration. United Nations. 1996.

  43. 43.

    Under Secretary for Global Affairs Tim Wirth before the Second Conference of the Parties Framework Convention on Climate Change, Geneva Switzerland, 17 July 1996. This and the following two citations were sourced from Royden, A. (2010). ‘U.S. Climate Change Policy Under President Clinton: A Look Back’, 32 Golden Gate U. L. rev. 32(4): 468–477.

  44. 44.

    Under Secretary for Global Affairs Tim Wirth.

  45. 45.

    Under Secretary for Global Affairs Tim Wirth.

  46. 46.

    Senator R. C. Byrd et al. S. Res. 98, Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the conditions for the United States becoming a signatory to any international agreement on greenhouse gas emissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Available at Government Printing Office Web Site: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-105sres98ats/pdf/BILLS-105sres98ats.pdf (2 December 2015).

  47. 47.

    Harris, P. G. (1999), ‘Common But Differentiated Responsibility: The Kyoto Protocol And US Policy’, 7 NYU Envtl L.J. 27.

  48. 48.

    US Draft Protocol Framework. 1997.

  49. 49.

    William J. Clinton: ‘Remarks at the National Geographic Society,’ October 22, 1997. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=53442.

  50. 50.

    Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. United Nations. 1998.

  51. 51.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 4.

  52. 52.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 3.

  53. 53.

    Kyoto Protocol. Annex B.

  54. 54.

    Kyoto Protocol. Annex B.

  55. 55.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 6.

  56. 56.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 12.

  57. 57.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 12 (2).

  58. 58.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 12 (4).

  59. 59.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 12 (5).

  60. 60.

    Kyoto Protocol, Article 12 (5) (c).

  61. 61.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 12 (7).

  62. 62.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 12 (10).

  63. 63.

    Kyoto Protocol. Article 17.

  64. 64.

    This information on the Russian Federation’s and Ukraine’s GHG emissions are included in the GHG emission profiles for Annex I Parties and major groups in the GHG data section of the UNFCCC website. Available on the UNFCCC website at: http://unfccc.int/ghg_data/ghg_data_unfccc/items/4146.php.

  65. 65.

    Administrations Economic Analysis. The Kyoto Protocol and the President’s Policies to Address Climate Change. 1998.

  66. 66.

    Royden, A. (2010). ‘U.S. Climate Change Policy Under President Clinton: A Look Back’, 32 Golden Gate U. L. rev. 32(4): 468–477.

  67. 67.

    Administrations Economic Analysis. The Kyoto Protocol and the President’s Policies. P. iv.

  68. 68.

    US Energy Information Administration. What does the Kyoto Protocol Mean to U.S. Energy Markets and the U.S. Economy? Report number: SR/OIAF/98-03. (Department of Energy) 1998.

  69. 69.

    See pages 451–453 in Royden.

  70. 70.

    Rosenzweig, R., M. Varilek, B. Feldman R. Kuppalli, and J. Janssen. The Emerging International Greenhouse Gas Market. Formerly Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Currently the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. 2002. PP. 4–5.

  71. 71.

    For an example of a sample term sheet, see PP. 53–55 in R. Rosenzweig above in previous note. Available at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions Website at: http://www.c2es.org/.

  72. 72.

    The World Bank. Prototype Carbon Fund. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/brief/world-bank-carbon-funds-facilities. [Accessed 3 December 2015].

  73. 73.

    LeCocq, F. ‘Pioneering Transactions, Catalyzing Markets, And Building Capacity: The Prototype Carbon Fund Contributions to Climate Policies’, Amer. J. Agr. Econ. 2003 85 (3) August 2003: 703–707.

  74. 74.

    The World Bank. Prototype Carbon Fund.

  75. 75.

    Rosenzweig, R., D. Forrister. Natsource Compiles First Comprehensive Analysis of the Greenhouse Gas Trading Market. [Press Release] 6 August 2001. I have been unable to locate the first State and Trends of the Carbon Markets completed by the PCF in 2001.

  76. 76.

    The World Bank. BioCarbon Fund. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/brief/world-bank-carbon-funds-facilities [Accessed 3 December 2015].

  77. 77.

    The World Bank. Community Development Carbon Fund. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/brief/world-bank-carbon-funds-facilities [Accessed 3 December 2015].

  78. 78.

    The World Bank. World Bank Carbon Funds and Facilities. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/brief/world-bank-carbon-funds-facilities [Accessed 3 December 2015].

  79. 79.

    The World Bank. World Bank Carbon Funds and Facilities. Available from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/brief/world-bank-carbon-funds-facilities [Accessed 3 December 2015].

  80. 80.

    Henkemens, M. Dutch lessons as GHG buyer. [Lecture] New York. 25 June 2004.

  81. 81.

    de Dominicis, A. Carbon investment funds: growing faster. Caisse des Depots. Research Report No. 7. 2005 November.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Copyright information

© 2016 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Rosenzweig, R.H. (2016). Climate Change Policies of the Clinton Administration. In: Global Climate Change Policy and Carbon Markets. Energy, Climate and the Environment. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56051-3_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics