President Clinton Meets With
Top Scientists to Discuss Climate Change
July 24, 1997

"The science is clear and compelling: We humans are changing the global climate...No nation can escape this danger. None can evade its responsibility to confront it."

-- President Clinton, Address to UN General Assembly
Special Session on the Environment, June 26, 1997

Following up on their remarks to the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the Environment, today President Clinton and Vice President Gore will hold a round table discussion with eminent scientists, including three Nobel laureates, to discuss the science of climate change and the need to take action to mitigate this problem. Today's discussion begins a series of Administration efforts and events to increase public awareness of the seriousness of this problem and the consequences that are likely to result if we fail to act.

As a party to the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States is engaged in long-term negotiations on climate change. This round of negotiations is scheduled to culminate in Kyoto this December with a treaty setting a legally binding target and timetable for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Today's meeting reflects the President's strong commitment to take action on climate change and to lay the scientific facts before the American people prior to the Kyoto Conference.

Why Climate Change is a Problem:

Scientists agree that global warming and disruptions in the world,s climate could cause a substantial increase in infectious diseases such as malaria, increase the incidence and intensity of floods and droughts, raise sea level enough to inundate thousands of square miles along the U.S. coastline, decrease food production in some of the world,s poorest nations, and threaten the survival of many plant and animal species.

Joining the President and Vice President today in the audience will be cabinet members and Administration representatives including Secretary Pena, Department of Energy; Secretary Shalala, Health and Human Services; Secretary Herman, Department of Labor; Secretary Daley, Department of Commerce; Carol Browner, Environmental Protection Agency; James Lee Witt, Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and others whose agencies could play a role in dealing with the impacts of climate change.

The following scientists will participate in today's round table discussion with the President and Vice President: