Although the U.S. economy surged ahead 3.9 percent last year, production of "greenhouse gases" barely increased, according to the Department of Energy. Under controversial "global warming" theories, increased economic activity is supposed to lead to higher levels of the gases, which purportedly push up temperatures around the globe.

• Production of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases grew by only 0.02 percent in 1998 -- the slowest growth since the recession year of 1991.

• Overall, industrial emissions fell by 1.3 percent and emissions caused by the production of primary metals decreased by 1 percent.

• Under the Kyoto Protocol on global warming, the U.S. would be required to reduce greenhouse gases 7 percent below 1990 levels by somewhere between 2008 and 2012.

• Global warming skeptics, however, point out that such a mandate would slam the brakes on economic growth and U.S. prosperity.

Source: John J. Fialka, "'Greenhouse Gases' in U.S. Rose Least Since '91," Wall Street Journal, October 27, 1999.