There was a time when I would have found it hard to believe that humans could do anything that would affect the weather. It was just something we had to learn to live with. But now, I accept the view of most scientists that our everyday activities are slowly changing the world's climate. In fact, there is evidence that a majority of the global warming of the past 50 years is attributable to human activities. And while the effects may seem barely perceptible at first, they will grow over time and result in major changes that I have come to believe will alter our children's future.
If left unchecked, many believe the growth in these emissions could have potentially serious effects. Rising global temperatures are expected to raise sea level, change precipitation and other local climate conditions. Changes in regional climates could alter forests, crop yields and water supplies. Such shifting climate patterns and more frequent violent weather, such as floods and droughts, could mean more trouble for Montana's and the nation's farming and ranching families and communities.
I believe that we need to take action to address the consequences of climate change. Kyoto was an important first step. Although most agree that it would have been impossible for the US and other developed nations to meet the emissions targets contained in the Kyoto Protocol, I don't think that abandoning the entire Protocol was the best approach. We can still work towards implementing some of the market-based mechanisms that were adopted in principle and Kyoto. We can still work to engage the entire world in trying to reach a workable solution. And, in reality, we have to engage the entire world, including developing nations.
The simple fact is, developing countries, such as China, India and Brazil, emit about 40 percent of the world's greenhouse gases. We can't reach a solution by addressing only 60 percent of the problem. Unless all countries participate, we risk giving our competitors an unfair advantage. The participation of developing countries is absolutely necessary.
Whether we like it or not, the world still looks to the United States to take the lead on this and many other important global issues. We can continue to advance the science of climate change and to pioneer research and development into advanced technologies that improve the efficiency of our power plants, automobiles and other greenhouse gas emitting facilities, technologies that we can export to the rest of the world. The worst thing we could do is abandon the issue entirely.
I look forward to hearing the expert testimony of today's witnesses. I and my colleagues certainly appreciate your insight and knowledge on this issue.