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Proxy Statement Share Owner Proposals

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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Table of Contents
Proxy Statement Home
Notice of 2002 Annual Meeting of Share Owners
Proxy Statement
Election of Directors *
Information Relating to Directors, Nominees and Executive Officers
Compensation Committee Report
Summary Compensation Table
Financial Performance Comparison Graph
Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights
Retirement Benefits
Independent Auditors Fees
Audit Committee Report
Appointment of Independent Auditors *
Proposal to Approve Material Terms of Executive Officer Performance Goals *
Share Owner Proposals relating to:
No. 1 Cumulative Voting *
No. 2 Global Warming *
No. 3 Nuclear Power Report *
No. 4 Report on PCB Cleanup Costs *
No. 5 Poison Pill *
No. 6 Pension Fund Income / Executive Compensation *
No. 7 Performance-Based Stock Options *
No. 8 Executive Severance Agreements *
Additional Information
Advance Registration
* To be voted on at the meeting
Proxy Statement - Share Owner Proposals
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