This document is the Global Climate Coalition’s (GCC) January 1993 Climate Watch Bulletin (Volume 1 Issue 2). The bulletins were a part of GCC’s larger mission to oppose greenhouse gas regulations and contest the scientific validity of anthropogenic climate change through direct engagement and collaboration with affiliated climate deniers. Its membership spanned across the automotive, utility, manufacturing, petroleum, and mining industries. The bulletins generally updated readers on climate change policy and science developments.
The column from Executive Director John Shlaes titled, “A Carbon Tax To Stabilize CO2?” focuses on highlighting the “economic sacrifice” of such a tax “with little or no impact on climate change.” Shlaes often highlighted developing countries’ responsibilities regarding emissions reductions saying, “all predictions show that the majority of future greenhouse gas emissions will come from developing countries as economies and populations grow,” while “U.S. producers struggle under tax burdens much heavier than those of their international competitors.”
Shlaes contextualized the U.S.’ heavy dependence on fossil fuel energy was due to “a variety of historical and geographical reasons,” and warns of a 4.6% decrease in GNP by 2010 in the event of a carbon tax with job losses in “high-wage industries.” In addition to the resulting economic impacts to U.S. producers and consumers, Shlaes warns that a carbon tax may in turn harm developing countries as a result of “the loss of the economic resources needed to address the problems of growth and development in the developing world.”
The front page of this issue featured an article regarding the presence of the GCC at the December 1992 meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Framework Convention on Climate Change (INC) – the report notes that “John Shlaes (GCC) Fred Mangelsdorf (Texaco, now a part of Chevron) and Rob Long (National Coal Association, eventually merging with the National Mining Association) attended the meeting for the GCC.”
This issue also contained the following pieces:
- U.S. Delivers National Action Plan For Climate Change
- New Caution on Commitments Prevails at INC Meeting
- Congressional Committee Staff Discuss Energy Priorities
- Brookings Institution Study Finds Carbon Tax Costs Overshadow Limited Benefits
- World Bank Experts Find Removal Of Energy Subsidies Reduces Global CO2 Emission
- Hearings Offer Insight Into Views of New DOE Secretary and EPA Administrator
Interested in more GCC documents? See more in the full Global Climate Coalition collection.