Date: 2001-07-24
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. the amendment restores $25 million that was cut by the Committee on Appropriations from the administrations request of $107.5 million for the Global Environment Facility administered by the World Bank. In considering this amendment. Mr. Chairman. I would like to remind my colleagues of the motto "Think globally. act locally." The GEF was established to forge international cooperation and help to finance efforts to address. four. environmental threats that.transcend borders: climate change. degradation of international waters. biodiversity laws. and ozone depletion. It is administered jointly by the World Bank. the U.N. Development Program. and the U.N. Environmental Program. with a mission of bringing together governments. developing institutions. the scientific community. the private sector. and the NGOs toward a common goal of bringing about sustainable economic development. In the period 1991 to 1999. GEF oversaw more than $2.7 billion in grants. which helped to leverage billions more in cofinancing from- partners. that is. recipient nation NGOs. the private sector. et cetera. More importantly. these projects are usually small in scale. However. when we add them altogether. they have a large. cumulative benefit to the global environment. The United States is the leading donor to the GEF. and it is essential that we continue to lead the way in fostering sustainable development and sound environmental practices in developing countries. Mr. Chairman. my amendment would help to ensure that the U.S. pays its full 2002 contribution of $107.5 million. GEF funding is especially critical in the area of global climate change. where we have tended to focus on alleged flaws in the Kyoto Treaty that place too much of a burden on industrialized nations. such as the U.S.. and not enough on developing countries. Whether one agrees with this proposition or not. we should all be in agreement when it comes to providing funds to help the developing world to do their part in reducing the risk of global climate change while providing the energy that is necessary for vigorous. sustainable economic development. The GEF also will play a critical role in the implementation of the Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. Socalled POPs include PCBs. DDT. and dioxins. Most have already been banned or are severely limited here in the U.S* However. since these chemicals do stay in the environment for a long time and have a tendency to spread around in the food chain. our own restrictions will be undermined if we do not also help developing nations reduce their use of these chemicals. My amendment is supported by the leading environmental groups and organizations. including the NRDC. Friends of the Earth. US PIRG. LCV. Environmental - Defense. American Oceans Campaign. and the World Wildlife Fund. My proposed increase for the GEF is offset by the cuts to the ExportImport Bank subsidy appropriation. I am proposing this offset not because I have any particular animus toward the ExportImport Bank. I have always supported it. I personally come from a State that relies heavily on exporting goods to other countries. However. we are putting more in that budget than the administration requests. and we are cutting this part of the budget below the administration request. The administration seems to believe that the ExportImport Bank can successfully carry out its mission with less funding. and I am willing to go along with that recommendation. Mr. Chairman. Imove the adoption of the amendment.