This document is a July 19, 1993 letter from John Shlaes, Executive Director of the Global Climate Coalition (GCC), to Thomas F. McLarty, the Chief of Staff to the President. The letter was cc’d to the Interagency Climate Change Mitigation Group and the Interagency Analysis Team. The GCC opposed greenhouse gas regulations through direct engagement and collaboration with affiliated climate deniers from 1989 to 2002. Its membership spanned across the automotive, utility, manufacturing, petroleum, and mining industries.

Shlaes addresses President Clinton’s commitment to producing a plan to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, with the following: “Members of the Global Climate Coalition have been pleased to participate in the series of workshops which have been held to discuss options available to meet these goals and want very much to continue to work with you as you develop the plan and prepare to implement it.”

Shlaes continues to say that, “We understand that there is a debate within the Administration as to whether join implementation should be a part of the August National Action Plan and the options put forth at that time. We hope that you do not foreclose this option which could be effective in the short term as well as over a longer term in reducing global emissions.”

Joint implementation is an emissions reduction scheme that allows one country to earn tradable credits by reducing emissions that other countries can purchase of they don’t meet their emissions targets. The GCC was an ardent supporter of joint implementation.

Shlaes concludes the letter by stating, “There is still substantial scientific uncertainty regarding whether global climate change is occurring and if so how fast and what impacts might be. The members of the Global Climate Coalition support actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or in increase greenhouse gas sinks that are justified for other economic or environmental reasons. If properly defined joint implementation can be one of those actions. We stand ready to assist you in your efforts” (emphasis added).

This document is part of the private collection of Nicky Sundt, a Washington-based climate change science, policy and communications expert.

Interested in more GCC documents? See more in the full Global Climate Coalition collection.