_______________________, read first time and referred to Committee on
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the Legislative Council
to assign the topic of global climate change to a study committee.
Whereas, That the Indiana General Assembly, regarding
the need of the United States and the state of Indiana, urges
the Legislative Council to address the problem of global
climate change through the adoption of a fair and effective
approach that safeguards American jobs, ensures affordable
energy for citizens, and maintains America's global
competitiveness;
Whereas, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
and the National Academy of Sciences found that the
continued buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
adversely affects the global climate;
Whereas, The greenhouse gas emissions of developing
countries are rising more rapidly than the emissions of the
United States and have surpassed the greenhouse gas
emissions of the United States and other developed countries;
Whereas, Indiana accounts for only 0.69% of total global
greenhouse gas emissions;
Whereas, Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions
must not eliminate American jobs and diminish the ability of
American industry to compete in the global marketplace;
Whereas, Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions must not add to the already high costs of power and
gasoline;
Whereas, Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions
must reward, not punish, early adopters of energy efficient
technologies and practices;
Whereas, Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions
must adopt an international component to prevent emissions
leakage and ensure that emissions do not simply migrate to
another state or nation;
Whereas, The only manner to quantify these emissions is
through a domestic and international greenhouse gas
emissions registry that is uniform, transparent, and
verifiable;
Whereas, Any system to regulate greenhouse gases must
ensure that the adopted regimen does not result in moving
international trade sensitive industries outside the United
States;
Whereas, Indiana has already lost 143,100 manufacturing
jobs since 1998;
Whereas, Manufacturing accounts for $67.2 billion of
Indiana's Gross State Product and is the number one
contributor to the state's economy;
Whereas, Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions
must ensure the availability of sufficient, affordable energy,
including clean energy, before restricting emissions in a
manner that could reduce the volume of energy available to
consumers; and
Whereas, Any system to regulate greenhouse gas emissions
must provide credits or allowances to support operations,
such as recycling, that reduce greenhouse gas emissions:
Therefore,
SECTION 1. That the Indiana General Assembly urges the
Legislative Council to assign to a study committee the topic of global
climate change.
SECTION 2. That the committee should include, but not be limited
to, the following topics:
(1) Promoting American jobs.
(2) Protecting American citizens and industry from higher energy
prices.
(3) Rewarding early adopters of efficient practices and
technologies.
(4) Preventing emission leakage.
(5) Championing the global competitiveness of American
industry.