‘U’ broadcasts global summit

With record-setting high temperatures in Washington, D.C., President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore held a summit on global warming yesterday.

Ann Arbor was one of 100 cities to broadcast the speeches of Gore, Clinton and experts in fields related to climate change.

Before the White House speeches, student activists and three state environmental policy experts held a 9:30 a.m. press conference in the Michigan Union and Michigan experts commented on White House policy following the summit.

Mona Hanna, who chairs the Michigan Student Assembly’s Environmental Commission, organized the press conference to rally student interest on global warming.

BRYAN MCLELLAN/Daily About 65 people watch President Clinton speak yesterday at a summit meeting on environmental issues that was broadcast live to 100 cities, including Ann Arbor.

“Global warming is a huge problem,” Hanna said. “It’s something where our actions don’t just impact us. It has international ramifications. What we do will have a huge impact on the future.”

About 65 people watched the three-hour televised summit.

Gore spoke first, applauding Clinton for his protection of the environment.

“I’m not the only one who has come to expect this kind of leadership from a person, who in the last five years deserves the right to be called the environmental president,” Gore said.

“No future leader of this country will ever again be able to say to America ‘We have to choose between building the economy and preserving the environment.’”

Gore then explained growing problems and implications of global climate change.

“Global climate disruption represents one of the single greatest threats to our future,” Gore said. “Emissions of greenhouse gasses are changing our climate. Solving this problem will take time. It has been created over a period of time ... but we have to begin to reverse the trend that created the problem.”

Next, Clinton took the podium and talked about the four principles that will guide policy to reverse global warming.

“The first (principle) I present is that the science of climate change is real. But for me the bottom line is that although we do not know everything, what we do know is more than enough to warrant responsible action,” Clinton said.

He added that “realistic binding goals” and economically feasible solutions need to be set by the December international conference on global warming in Kyoto, Japan.

“The fourth principle is that we must expect all nations, both industrialized and developed, to participate in this process,” Clinton said.

President Clinton said that using alternative energy and improving technology are both viable solutions to global climate change. Clinton offered the fuel cell, whose only exhaust is distilled water, as an example of a modern solution.

Engineering junior D.J. Sho, who listened to the whole speech, said yesterday’s summit gave hope to the fight against global warming.

“From what happened this morning, it seems like everything is OK,” Sho said. “All the people on his panel are for long-term environmental goals and not short-term profits.”

After Clinton’s speech a number of environmentalists, economists and other experts debated about U.S. environmental policy. While some said Clinton’s policy is the only viable option to preserve the environment, others said the plans would damage the economy.

Martin Zimmerman, Ford Motor Company’s chief economist, said he was unimpressed by the Clinton administration’s policy.

“They said it’s important to get started but to get started in the wrong direction is counterproductive,” he said.

Zimmerman, who used to teach economics courses at the University, said he feared reductions in emissions would hurt the economy.

Matthew Hare, who serves as director of regulatory affairs for Michigan Manufacturers, said he is lobbying to stop the White House policy on climate change because of the potential effects on the economy.

“I would not like to see them sign a treaty in December,” Hare said. It’s too much; too soon based on inconclusive evidence. We’re not saying no, we’re just saying no for now.”

Looking ahead to December’s international conference, Russel Harting, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, said there may be a standoff between Clinton and Congress.

“(On climate change policy,) there are huge differences between Congress and the president,” Harting said.

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