In the Headlines is updated every weekday, and can also be delivered directly to you by e-mail when you sign up for our free weekly Public Agenda Alert . Christine Whitman said President Bush opposed the agreement because the Senate refuses to ratify it and because he believes it will harm the U.S. economy. But, she added, the administration still believes global warming is an important issue. The treaty, negotiated in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997 and signed by former President Clinton, called for the United States to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases by 2012. No industrial nations have ratified it.
Most scientists believe gases such as carbon dioxide are key contributors to global warming.
Last week, Bush announced he would not seek to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by U.S. power plants, reversing his earlier position. The next United Nations meeting on the agreement is scheduled for this summer. Additional information is available in our issue guide on The Environment .