Majority Statement

• David Vitter

  Senator
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  Majority Statement

  David Vitter

  Opening Statement of Senator Vitter, Chairman
  Subcommittee on Global Climate Change and Impacts

  The Current and Future Role of Science in the Asia Pacific Partnership
  April 05, 2006

  
  I would like to thank Senators Stevens and McCain and Chairman Connaughton for being here today for this subcommittee’s hearing.

  The topic of our hearing is: The Current and Future Role of Science in the Asia Pacific Partnership. I called for this hearing to learn more about the Partnership and how this initiative is integrated with an estimated $5 billion in other climate-related initiatives the federal government undertakes annually.

  The Administration announced the Partnership last summer, and, together with the other nations, met in Australia in January of this year to begin the implementation of this multilateral initiative.

  The President requested $52 million in his Fiscal Year 2007 budget request for the Asia Pacific Partnership. This request includes funds for the Departments of Commerce, State, Energy and the EPA. Each of these agencies is also involved with the Climate Change Science Program and the Climate Change Technology Program – where, again, we spend billions annually.

  I commend the Administration for taking on this initiative and strongly support the goals of the Partnership. Within the next few years, greenhouse gas emissions from developing nations will surpass those of all industrialized countries combined.

  It is my understanding that China plans to meet its skyrocketing energy demands with nearly 800 coal fired power plants – without the benefit of clean coal – or gasification technologies. This undermines the global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and only confirms the wisdom the current and previous Administrations showed in not sending the Kyoto Treaty to the Senate for ratification.

  In addition to the mandatory nature of the protocol, the disparity in the treatment of industrialized versus developing nations under Kyoto was a fundamental flaw.

  My primary concern here today is to ensure that our National Climate Strategy is a coordinated, productive strategy. I want to ensure that the taxpayers are getting every penny out of the federal investment being made in climate change and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses today to learn more on this topic and other recommendations to improve our national strategy from the panels today.

   

• Ted Stevens

  Senator
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  Majority Statement

  Ted Stevens

  Chairman Ted Stevens – Opening Statement
  Commerce Subcommittee on Global Climate Change
  The Current and Future Role of Science in the Asia Pacific Partnership
  April 5, 2006
  
  
  

  I thank you Mr. Chairman, and thank Senator McCain for his comments.

  I feel there already is an Asia Pacific partnership in the International Arctic Research Commission. That is being funded now by a series of nations. Certainly, it is headquartered in my state for an obvious reason. Some people have said that Alaska is sort of the “canary in the mine” as far as the basic concept of climate change. And, we are experiencing enormous change, threatening our Native villages.

  I would like to point out that we are working very hard to help the people that were in the path of Rita and Katrina, but we had a near typhoon off of our shores up there. We had nine villages almost destroyed, 19 we looked at were very seriously damaged. We are still waiting for the money to be allocated. We are still waiting for the help and it’s over a year ago that took place.

  I do think that not only should we be helping them to relocate their villages, and most of them live on barrier islands and they no longer have access to the mainland in some instances. Their airports are flooding. In the event of another disaster of the same type we wouldn’t be able to evacuate them if their airports flood because there are no roads out of those places anymore.

  There are a lot of things we should be doing but I think we should take the changes very seriously and look at the causes and effects in our state. I personally showed the President a chart yesterday of the difference between the Arctic Ocean in the ‘70s and the Arctic Ocean in the ‘90s in terms of heat distribution. It shows very clearly that there has been an enormous amount of heat that has entered the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic. The heat in the North Atlantic, which our people believe came from very active sun spots, really has a lot to do with this change but we are not spending much time trying to determine if there is anything we can do about it.

  I do think, Senator, we could do a few more studies to really determine what is causing the permafrost to be less thick. We now know why the Arctic Ice Cap is shifting around; it is because of the currents that are coming in from the North Atlantic.

  I have got to tell you, the Asia Pacific Partnership at $52 million may be a good deal, I don’t know.

  I know that cutting the money for the International Arctic Research Commission, cutting the money for the Alaska Volcano Observatory; we have got one volcano, as you know, that is still spewing out. And yet we are not going to monitor it anymore?

  I really think that something has to be done to look at the allocation of funds and really support the kind of action that is necessary in order to know more clearly what is going to happen. It is the prediction of what is going to happen.

  Yesterday, as I understand it, the Weather Bureau told us that we should get ready for another series of hurricanes in the Southern states. Clearly there is a role for more action than we see.

  I am sorry I can’t stay and be with you. I would have some specific questions.

  I would urge you to take the time and sit down with a group of us and see if there isn’t some way that we can’t get a response to what we perceive to be the needs not only of research but also of action to try to prevent any further damage to some of those villages for instance. There is no reason why we should not understand that they have a right to have some action to be taken just as the people of New Orleans and the people who lived within the Katrina area do.

  I thank you for your statement. I will read it in full.

  I share Senator McCain’s feelings about this.

  Thank you very much.

Testimony

• The Honorable James L. Connaughton

  Chairman

  Council on Environmental Quality
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  Testimony

  The Honorable James L. Connaughton

  Click here for a copy of Mr. Connaughton's testimony.

• Dr. David Montgomery

  Vice President

  CRA International
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  Testimony

  Dr. David Montgomery

  Click here for a copy of Mr. Montgomery's testimony.

• Dr. Margo Thorning

  Senior Vice President

  American Council for Capitol Formation
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  Testimony

  Dr. Margo Thorning

  Click here for a copy of Dr. Thorning's testimony.

• Mr. David D. Doniger

  Policy Director, Climate Center

  Natural Resources Defense Council
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  Testimony

  Mr. David D. Doniger

  Click here for a copy of Mr. Doniger's testimony.