Share Owner Proposal No. 2
Catholic Healthcare West, 1700 Montgomery Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94111-1024,
and other filers have notified GE that they intend to submit the following proposal at
this year's meeting:
"Whereas: The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that electricity generation
is responsible for 40% of man-made carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas, as well
as 25% of nitrous oxides, 67% of sulfur dioxide, and 34% of mercury emitted annually
nationwide. (2000)
"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found 'new and stronger evidence
that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributed to human activity.'
(IPCC, 2001)
"Growing evidence indicates that environmental damage from fossil fuel burning will
be major and worldwide. Threats to human health and habitats include (IPCC, 2001):
- widespread increase in the risk of floods inundating the homes of tens of millions
of people, resulting in an increased drowning, disease and, in developing countries,
hunger and malnutrition;
- increases, in some geographic areas, in droughts, floods, landslides, intense
storms, heat waves and incidences of water-borne (cholera) and vector-borne diseases
(malaria); and
- irreversible damage to vulnerable ecosystems, with increased risk of extinction
of some more vulnerable species and a loss biodiversity.
"In July 2001, 178 nations signed the Bonn agreement, requiring industrialized nations
to reduce greenhouse emissions to 5.2% less than 1990 levels, by 2008. (Wall Street
Journal, 7/24/01)
"Companies with top-rated environmental records are faring significantly better
financially than those with worse records. From 1997-2000, they had 3.53% higher annual
returns on investment than a broader universe of companies and 7.80% higher annual returns
than companies with low-rated environmental records. (QED International, 2001) Between
1998-2000, 'the stock price of the more environmentally friendly top half outperformed the
bottom half by. . .17.2% in U.S. petroleum and 12.4% in U.S. electric utilities.'
(Barrons, 8/6/01)
"Addressing the President, 39 top religious leaders have written, '. . .global warming is
a scientific fact. . .More investment in renewable energy and fuel efficiency is now a
moral imperative, especially because these are technologically feasible and economically
viable.' (National Council of Churches, 5/21/01)
"We believe that good stewardship of our resources requires that we reduce polluting
emissions when possible and prudent.
"Resolved: that the Board of Directors report (at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary
information), to shareholders on the greenhouse gas emissions from our company's own operations
and products sold, including: steps the company can take to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases
substantially; recommendations for steps the appliance manufacturing industry can take to
collectively reduce emissions of greenhouse gases substantially, and plans, if any, to support
energy-efficient appliance standards.
"Supporting Statement: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found that
the world must reduce its carbon fuel emissions significantly to re-stabilize the climate.
We believe this will require the Company's support of (a) increasing energy-efficient appliance
standards; (b) asking DOE not to roll back the increased federal energy-efficiency standard; and
(c) strong energy codes for residential and commercial buildings."
Your Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal.
GE is a leader in developing and implementing energy efficient, emission reducing technologies
in its products and its facilities. GE's gas turbines are one of the most environmentally
friendly means of generating electricity. A number of GE products have qualified for U. S.
government EPA/DOE Energy Star ratings, including refrigerators and other appliances, lighting
products for home and office, and utility, commercial and industrial transformers. Because GE
is already addressing the issues raised in this proposal, and energy efficiency is a key goal
of GE products and GE operations, your Board does not believe that creating the type of report
requested by the proponents would help GE reduce its emissions or improve its environmental
performance. Therefore, your Board recommends a vote against this proposal.
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