Jonathan Pershing, Testimony, US House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality

Dr. Jonathan Pershing's 2007 testimony to the US House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality outlines the urgency of global climate action, the necessity of differentiated responsibilities for countries, and the need for a multi-faceted approach involving carbon pricing, technology development, and adaptation strategies.

• The scale of the climate crisis requires a long-term reduction of global emissions by 60% to 80% across industries, agriculture, land use, and the energy system. Because the problem is so vast, no single policy or sector can solve it; instead, a sustained, long-term effort addressing all gases and sectors using multiple policy instruments is required.
• International climate arrangements should not impose identical requirements on all nations because countries differ in their emissions trajectories, capacities, and responsibilities. However, the 15 largest emitters, including the EU, account for approximately 80% of global emissions and are essential participants in any solution.
• Effective solutions include implementing a price on greenhouse gas emissions to influence corporate and consumer behavior, leveraging co-benefits like local air quality and energy security, and developing new technologies. Pershing warns that if the US does not lead the market for these technologies, competitors will.
• Since significant climate change is likely unavoidable, global efforts must include adaptation strategies, particularly for the poorest populations who are most vulnerable. To achieve this, the US should take a more constructive role in the UN Climate Convention and utilize bilateral, multilateral, and private sector incentives.

APA

Pershing, J. (2007). Jonathan Pershing, Testimony, US House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/publications/jonathan-pershing-testimony-us-house-subcommittee-energy-and-air-quality

Chicago

Pershing, Jonathan. Jonathan Pershing, Testimony, US House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality. World Resources Institute, 2007. https://www.wri.org/publications/jonathan-pershing-testimony-us-house-subcommittee-energy-and-air-quality.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Pershing |first1=Jonathan |title=Jonathan Pershing, Testimony, US House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=27 March 2007 |url=https://www.wri.org/publications/jonathan-pershing-testimony-us-house-subcommittee-energy-and-air-quality |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{pershing2007jonathan, author = {Pershing, Jonathan}, title = {{Jonathan Pershing, Testimony, US House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality}}, publisher = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2007}, month = mar, url = {https://www.wri.org/publications/jonathan-pershing-testimony-us-house-subcommittee-energy-and-air-quality}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }