European Green Group Wants Trade Sanctions on U.S. Products; NOAA Workshop on Climate Strategic Plan Announced

Friends of the Earth Europe (FoE-E), an environmental pressure group, has called on European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy to impose trade sanctions on U.S.-exported genetically-modified foods and energy-intensive products in retaliation for the U.S.s violation of World Trade Organization rules governing taxation of Foreign Sales Corporations.

In August, the World Trade Organization authorized the EU to impose countermeasures on U.S.-imported goods worth $4 billion in response to the U.S. refusal to comply with the WTOs ruling. The EU Trade Commission requested public comment on which U.S. products the EU should sanction.

In its comments to the Commission, FoE-E argues that the EU should take this opportunity to put pressure on the U.S. on environmental issues. "We call on Commissioner Lamy and European governments to consider European consumer concerns and the protection of our global environment when targeting US products. Genetically modified food and animal feed products as well as energy intensive products seems to be the obvious choice to make a move towards fairer and more sustainable transatlantic trade," said Alexandra Wandel, FoE-Es trade and sustainability coordinator.

 In a press release detailing FoE-Es comments, it urges the EU governments to target energy- intensive products because, "The U.S. rejection of the Kyoto Protocol is unfair and puts European business at a disadvantage. With Bushs increasing rejection of international agreements that are essential to protect our environment, Europe should have every right to penalize U.S. goods for the pollution they cause."

Chris Horner, counsel to the Cooler Heads Coalition, warned of such an eventuality in an op-ed in the Washington Times (September 21, 2002). "The EU have made clear their intent, either through Kyoto or otherwise, to extract Kyoto-style economic pain from the U.S. (which remains a non-ratifying signatory). They apparently intend to claim that all U.S. goods are impermissibly subsidized by Americas refusal to adopt Kyoto-style energy taxes," wrote Horner.

While there is little the U.S. can do to prevent the EU from bringing such a case before the WTO, the continued existence of the U.S. signature on the protocol could present serious problems. According to Horner, "There is no doubt that both customary law (international common law) and Article 18 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties require a non-ratifying treaty signatory to communicate its withdrawal or be held to not violate the treatys purpose or objective." With its signature on the Kyoto Protocol the U.S. "would likely be denied standing to object to EU retaliation or enforcement of Kyotos objectives."

If the U.S. wants a "fair fight" before the WTO, it must formally remove its signature from the Kyoto Protocol, according to Horner.

On December 3-5, the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (or CCSP) is holding a comprehensive Workshop on the U.S. Climate Change Science Program to "receive comments on a discussion draft version of the Strategic Plan for climate change and global change studies." The CCSP incorporates the U.S. Global Change Research Program (responsible for the National Assessment on the Impacts of Climate Change) and the Climate Change Research Initiative. The workshop is being sponsored by 13 different government agencies.

"The workshop," according to the announcement, "will review the USGCRP/CCRI plans with emphasis on the development of short-term (2-5 years) products to support climate change policy and resource management decision-making (emphasis added)."

The invited keynote speakers include a number of high-ranking officials, including some known for their extreme views on global warming. They include Bruce Alberts, President of the National Academy of Sciences; Robert Card, Undersecretary of Energy; Rita R. Colwell, Director of the National Science Foundation; Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Administrator of NOAA; John H. Marburger, Director of OSTP; G.O.P Obassi, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization; Sean OKeefe, Administrator of NASA; R.K. Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC; and Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program.

The workshop will cover 13 areas or topics of research. A number of scientists will be invited to give presentations on these topics. Attendees will be allowed to comment. Written submissions will also be accepted for the record.

The 3-day worshop will be held in Washington, D.C. at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel at 2660 Woodley Rd., NW. Further information can be found at www.climatescience.gov.