By Institute for Energy Research ——Bio and Archives--June 14, 2017
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"I am writing to urge you to attend the upcoming United Nations Conference on Environment and Development ['Earth Summit'] scheduled for early June in Brazil and to support the concept of establishing a reasonable, non-binding, stabilization level of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions." --Ken Lay [CEO, Enron Corp.] to George H.W. Bush, Letter of April 3, 1992. "The United States fully intends to be the world's preeminent leader in protecting the global environment. Environmental protection makes growth sustainable.... [This] recognition...by leaders from around the world is the central accomplishment of this important [United Nations] Rio Conference." --George H. W. Bush, "News Conference in Rio de Janeiro, June 13, 1992.Connect these five dots: Enron...George H. W. Bush...Rio Earth Summit 1992...Kyoto Protocol of 1997...Paris Climate Agreement of 2015.
If implemented, this agreement will do more to promote Enron's business than will almost any other regulatory initiative outside of restructuring of the energy and natural gas industries in Europe and the United States. The potential to add incremental gas sales, and additional demand for renewable technology is enormous. In addition, a carbon emissions trading system will be developed. While the trading system will be implemented by 2008, I am sure that reductions will begin to trade within 1–2 years. Finally, Enron has immediate business opportunities which derive directly from this agreement.Moreover:
Through our involvement with the climate change initiatives, Enron now has excellent credentials with many "green" interests including Greenpeace, WWF, NRDC, GermanWatch, the US Climate Action Network, the European Climate Action Network, Ozone Action, WRI, and Worldwatch. This position should be increasingly cultivated and capitalized on (monetized).
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Dear Mr. President: I am writing to urge you to attend the upcoming United Nations Conference on Environment and Development scheduled for early June in Brazil and to support the concept of establishing a reasonable, non-binding, stabilization level of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. This stabilization level should serve as a useful public policy guide, not a policy mandate. Moreover, I believe a market-based policy approach is the most cost effective and environmentally beneficial method to achieve greenhouse gas stabilization. The demagoguery on both sides of this issue has been extraordinarily fierce. Frankly, I do not believe the oceans will boil in a few years if we don't address greenhouse gas emissions, but I also do not believe the U.S. will suffer from economic ruin if prudent steps are taken to reduce CO2 emissions in order to protect the global environment. In fact, if pursued through market-based policies, a reduction in greenhouse gases should result in a cleaner environment, cheaper electricity, and more American jobs. Among other industries, I am convinced that America's hard-pressed domestic natural gas industry would benefit substantially from a market-based approach to reducing CO2 emissions. Natural gas is our cleanest fossil fuel and through its increased use in electric power generation could play a major role in reducing CO2 emissions and delivering lower electricity prices to consumers.... In summary, I urge you to provide leadership on this important global environmental issue. Not only will many U.S. industries benefit from measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the natural gas industry, but with the appropriate market-based policies, the measures will result in a cleaner environment, cheaper electricity, more American jobs, and a reduced trade deficit. Sincerely, KenBush went and spoke. Although environmental pressure groups wanted more, the president gave the global-climate negotiations a beachhead. "The United States fully intends to be the world's preeminent leader in protecting the global environment," he stated. "Environmental protection makes growth sustainable [as recognized]...by leaders from around the world [at]...this important Rio Conference."
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The Institute for Energy Research (IER) is a not-for-profit organization that conducts intensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of global energy markets. IER maintains that freely-functioning energy markets provide the most efficient and effective solutions to today’s global energy and environmental challenges and, as such, are critical to the well-being of individuals and society.