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Global Warming: Difficulties Assessing Countries' Progress Stabilizing Emissions of Greenhouse Gases

RCED-96-188 Published: Sep 04, 1996. Publicly Released: Sep 19, 1996.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO evaluated the United States and other countries' progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by year 2000.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of State As part of ongoing international negotiations, the Secretary of State should encourage the United States to urge that reporting standards be formulated and adopted for any new targets beyond 2000 in order to enhance the completeness, reliability, and consistency of emissions data.
Closed – Implemented
New reporting guidelines were adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in July 1996 at the urging of the State Department. The State Department believes that the new guidelines will improve the transparency of emissions data in the national communications of parties to the Convention and therefore make it easier to assess those countries' progress against any new commitments adopted under the Convention.

Full Report

Full Report (37 pages)

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Topics

Natural Resources and Environment
Air pollution controlAtmospheric researchCarbon dioxideClimate statisticsData integrityEnergy consumptionEnergy efficiencyEnvironmental monitoringGlobal warmingGreenhouse gasesInternational cooperationProjectionsReporting requirementsClimate change