In December 1997, world leaders met in Kyoto, Japan, to continue negotiations on a United Nations treaty drafted in 1992 to address global warming through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by industrialized nations. The negotiations resulted in the Kyoto Protocol, which requires the United States to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 7 percent below 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. Thirty- seven other industrialized nations also agreed to reductions. Although a Clinton administration official signed the Kyoto Protocol on November 12, 1998, the U.S. Senate must ratify it to render it a binding agreement.

A debate has arisen over whether ratification of the Protocol will cause more harm to the U.S. economy than would occur if global warming were left unchecked. Those in favor of the Protocol believe that it will reduce the threat of climate disasters associated with global warming and that...