U.S. TO CUT CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 28, 1992                   TAG: 9202280003
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: UNITED NATIONS                                LENGTH: Medium
U.S. TO CUT CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS
The United States said Thursday it will reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and donate $75 million to help developing countries do the same, raising hopes for an international agreement to help forestall global warming.
Negotiations for such a pact, which resumed Tuesday at the United Nations, will conclude today without resolving a European demand that industrial nations reduce emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000.
The United States has refused to agree to specific limits on carbon dioxide emissions, arguing that they could impose unreasonable costs on industry.
But the steps the United States is taking to curb its emissions could bring it into compliance with the demand, environmental groups said.
If so, the United States would be in a position to sign an international agreement in June at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
"It's an encouraging sign of progress, but there's a long way to go," said Brooks Yeager, vice president of the National Audubon Society. "It shows a new desire on the part of the White House to play a constructive role in the negotiations."
Carbon dioxide formed by the burning of fossil fuels is a prime contributor to the so-called greenhouse effect, the build-up of gases that can trap the sun's heat and raise the Earth's temperature.
The United States said Thursday it would donate $50 million to the World Bank's Global Environment Facility, which funds efforts by developing countries to address the problem of climate change. Another $25 million is to be spent on cooperative studies to help developing countries assess their emissions and devise ways to reduce them.
Among the measures announced by the United States to curb its own emissions of greenhouse gases were:

Improving energy efficiency by raising standards for buildings and appliances; and by encouraging public-private partnerships to improve the efficiency of lighting, computer systems, refrigerators and industrial motors.

Introducing measures encouraging the use of vehicles run on alternative fuels, use of public transit and research on electric cars.

Encouraging research on more efficient aircraft and trains, new methods of energy generation and promoting industrial waste reduction and recycling.
Most of these measures have previously been announced or are contained in legislation now moving through Congress, according to environmentalists. But they welcomed the changes, which are aimed at reducing U.S. reliance on coal and oil.
The best predictions now say that carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere could double in the next century unless steps are taking to sharply reduce emissions.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB