Global Climate Change Briefing BookCongressional Research ServiceRedistributed as a service of the National Library for th

The issues raised by the debate on global climate change are primarily of a policy nature. But a few significant legal issues have emerged concerning the process by which the Kyoto Protocol would become legally binding upon the United States and whether the Protocol could be implemented in whole or in part without Senate advice and consent. The CRS report listed below addresses the issues of (1) whether the U.S. is now legally bound by the Kyoto Protocol, (2) the legal effect of the U.S. signing the Protocol, (3) whether the Protocol can be implemented as an executive agreement without Senate advice and consent, and (4) whether the Protocol can serve as a basis for regulations limiting emissions before it has been ratified. The additional readings address broader legal and policy issues raised by the debate over global climate change.

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* These CRS reports were produced by the Congressional Research Service, a branch of the Library of Congress providing nonpartisan research reports to members of the House and Senate. The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) has made these reports available to the public at large, but the Congressional Research Service is not affiliated with the NCSE or the National Library for the Environment (NLE). This web site is not endorsed by or associated with the Congressional Research Service. The material contained in the CRS reports does not necessarily express the views of NCSE, its supporters, or sponsors. The information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. NCSE disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall NCSE be liable for any damages.

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