0001|                          SENATE MEMORIAL 11
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                            CISCO McSORLEY
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                              A MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO OPPOSE THE KYOTO
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0012|     PROTOCOL.
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0013|     
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0014|          WHEREAS, an increase in the concentration of carbon
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0015|     dioxide and other "greenhouse gases" in the atmosphere may be
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0016|     causing solar heat to be trapped close to the surface of the
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0017|     earth and average temperatures to increase worldwide; and
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0018|          WHEREAS, this increase in greenhouse gases may be
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0019|     attributable to mankind's use of fossil fuels; and
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0020|          WHEREAS, a significant increase in global temperatures
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0021|     could have disastrous effects on the earth's environment,
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0022|     possibly including dramatic increases in sea levels and severe
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0023|     weather events, wildlife habitat destruction and property
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0024|     destruction; and
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0025|          WHEREAS, some disagreement exists within the scientific
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0001|     community over the extent to which global warning is
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0002|     occurring, the extent to which it is being caused by human
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0003|     activities, how harmful it may be to the environment and
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0004|     whether governments should take action to control emissions of
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0005|     greenhouse gases; and
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0006|          WHEREAS, the United States participated in an
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0007|     international conference on global warning in Kyoto, Japan in
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0008|     December of 1997; and
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0009|          WHEREAS, a treaty known as the Kyoto Protocol, which
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0010|     would require the United States to reduce emissions of
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0011|     greenhouse gases by seven percent, the European union to
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0012|     reduce emissions by eight percent and Japan to reduce
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0013|     emissions by six percent below 1990 levels by 2012, was
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0014|     adopted at the Kyoto conference; and
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0015|          WHEREAS, the imposition of such emissions reductions
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0016|     could impose significant costs on the coal industry, the
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0017|     electric utility industry and other industries of importance
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0018|     to New Mexico's economy and on consumers; and
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0019|          WHEREAS, the Kyoto Protocol does not include limits on
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0020|     greenhouse gas emissions in developing nations; and
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0021|          WHEREAS, the issue of emissions limitations for
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0022|     developing countries will next be addressed at an
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0023|     international conference in Buenos Aires in November, 1998;
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0024|     and
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0025|          WHEREAS, the imposition of the Kyoto Protocol emissions
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0001|     reductions could put the United States economy at a severe
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0002|     competitive disadvantage if similar reductions are not imposed
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0003|     in developing nations;
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0004|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE
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0005|     OF NEW MEXICO that the congress be urged to prevent the
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0006|     ratification of the Kyoto Protocol unless developing nations
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0007|     commit to limiting greenhouse gas emissions; and       
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0008|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
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0009|     transmitted to the New Mexico congressional delegation.
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0010|                               
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