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2003 |
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Paula J. Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs:
"Therefore it is our intention to implement policies that will foster
these technology-based solutions -- that is the way we will address
the challenge of global climate change. Significantly, we also believe
that climate change should not be pursued in isolation, but should be
handled as an integral part of a broad strategic paradigm of
sustainable development, which features a balanced mix of
environmentally sound, pro-economic growth policies. At the 2002 World
Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg and at the COP-8
meeting last year in New Delhi, we found strong and growing support
for this position among developing countries." (64KB PDF file)
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Stratospheric ozone levels are near their lowest point since
measurements began, so current ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation levels
are thought to be close to their maximum. Total stratospheric content
of ozone-depleting substances is expected to reach a maximum before
the year 2000. All other things being equal, the current ozone losses
and related UV-B increases should be close to their maximum.
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A short article published by Resources for the Future (RFF) in
Weathervane, an online forum for analysis and commentary on U.S. and
global policy initiatives related to climate change.
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The site is produced and maintained by the U.S. Dept. of State, Office
of International Information Programs and provides access to climate
change information.
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2003 |
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Congressional debate regarding the Climate Stewardship Act of 2003 to
provide for a program of scientific research on abrupt climate change,
to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United
States by establishing a market-driven system of greenhouse gas
tradeable allowances that could be used interchangeably with passenger
vehicle fuel economy standard credits, to limit greenhouse gas
emissions in the United States and reduce dependence upon foreign oil,
and ensure benefits to consumers from the trading in such allowances.
(208KB PDF file)
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2003 |
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Congressional debate regarding the Climate Stewardship Act of 2003 to
provide for a program of scientific research on abrupt climate change,
to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the United
States by establishing a market-driven system of greenhouse gas
tradeable allowances that could be used interchangeably with passenger
vehicle fuel economy standard credits, to limit greenhouse gas
emissions in the United States and reduce dependence upon foreign oil,
and ensure benefits to consumers from the trading in such allowances.
(216KB PDF file)
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1998 |
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Decreased quantities of total-column ozone are now observed over large
parts of the globe, permitting increased penetration of solar UV-B
radiation (280-315 nm) to the Earth's surface. The 1998 assessment
deals with the possible consequences. The Atmospheric Science Panel
predicts that the ozone layer will be in its most vulnerable state
during the coming two decades. Some of the effects are expected to
occur during most of the next century. Recent studies show that the
effects of ozone depletion would have been dramatically worse without
the protective measures taken under the Montreal Protocol.
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EPA's Global Change Research Program is an assessment-oriented program
with primary emphasis on understanding the potential consequences of
climate variability and change on human health, ecosystems, and
socioeconomic systems in the United States. The website is designed to
provide a portal through which scientists, resource managers, and the
public can access information about the program and partners.
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The health risks associated with ozone depletion will principally be
those due to increased ultraviolet-B(UV-B) radiation in the
environment, i. e., increased damage to the eyes, the immune system,
and the skin. Some new risks may also be introduced with the increased
use of alternatives to the ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
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The International Energy Agency (IEA) is an autonomous agency linked
with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and development (OECD).
It is the energy forum for 26 member countries. They have become an
authoritative source for energy statistics worldwide. They conduct
analyses of actions to mitigate climate change, and energy and
sustainable development. The website contains reports, papers,
conference and workshop information, detailed information
(descriptions, links, annual reports) concerning IEA Implementing
Agreements, and energy statistics from member countries.
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2001 |
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This report assess the scientific, technical, environmental, economic,
and social aspects of the mitigation of climate change. The full
report is published by Cambridge University Press. (112Kb PDF file)
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2001 |
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An annual report by the Subcommittee on Global Change Research, Committee
on Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology
Council. Our Changing Planet describes the US Global Change Research
Program for FY 2002. Federal Agency activities and funding levels
are presented. A printed copy of this publication can be obtained
without charge by submitting a request to GCRIO (see contact information
at bottom of page); or by using our on-line
document request form.
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1998 |
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Membership lists, Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and
Subcommittee on Global Change Research
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2002 |
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The USGCRP budget includes $310 million in FY 2002 for research and
observations related to improving understanding of ongoing changes in
atmospheric composition. The atmosphere links the other components of
the Earth system-including the oceans, land, terrestrial and marine
biosphere, and the frozen regions. Because of these linkages, the
atmosphere is a conduit of change. For example, natural events and
human activities can change atmospheric composition in ways that alter
the Earth's radiative (energy) balance. Associated responses involving
the climate system and the stratospheric ozone layer influence the
well-being of human and natural systems. Because the atmosphere is the
'fast mixer' in the Earth system, changes in the composition and
chemistry of the atmosphere spread over very large areas very quickly.
As a result, observations of changes in the atmosphere are among the
very earliest harbingers of changes in the global environment. The
very long atmospheric residence times of some chemical species cause
changes in their concentrations to be virtually irreversible for
decades, centuries, and millennia - thereby affecting all countries
and populations, not just the emitters. The improving capability for
modeling the composition of the global atmosphere as a whole is
enabling quantification of the linkages between continental air
quality and climate change, which were once considered separately and
independently. Future research will build upon recent scientific
accomplishments. In one of the extraordinary success stories of global
change research, scientific understanding has led to measures that
have reversed the decades-long growth in atmospheric concentrations of
the substances responsible for depleting the stratospheric ozone
layer.
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2002 |
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Our Changing Planet: The FY 2002 Global Change Research Program is a
report to Congress supplementing the President's FY 2002 budget,
pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The report
describes the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP); summarizes
scientific insights from global change research, discusses the six
Research Program Elements and FY 2002 plans in each of these research
areas; and includes an appendix that details the FY 2002 budget,
including program components and program highlights for each of the
departments and agencies that comprise the USGCRP. Achieving the goals
of this program will require continued strong support for the
scientific research needed to improve understanding of how human
activities are affecting the global environment, and of how natural
and human-induced global change is affecting society and ecosystems.
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2002 |
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The first table in this Appendix presents the FY 2001-FY 2002 USGCRP
budget by Research Program Element, showing each department or
agency's budgetary contribution to each element. The budget pages for
individual participating agencies that follow include a listing of
programs designated for inclusion in the USGCRP, as well as a general
description of each agency's 'Areas of Global Change Research.' For
each agency, a 'FY 2002 Program Highlights' section outlines briefly
some of the key USGCRPrelated activities proposed for the coming year.
In addition, the agencies conduct a broad range of 'Related Research,'
as indicated, funding for which is not included as part of the USGCRP
budget because the research is conducted primarily for other purposes.
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2002 |
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The USGCRP budget includes $486 million in FY 2002 for research and
observations related to understanding climate variability and change.
The Earth's prevailing climate is a fundamental element in the
well-being of societies and natural systems. Climate strongly affects
the viability of agriculture, the distribution and productivity of
forests and rangelands, the diversity of flora and fauna, the
availability of water, the spread of insects and rodents that carry
human disease organisms, the intensity and frequency of floods and
severe weather events, and much more. The essential scientific
questions about climate system behavior range across all timescales,
from seasons and years to decades, centuries, and millennia.
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2002 |
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The USGCRP budget includes $199 million in FY 2002 for research and
observations related to understanding changes in managed and unmanaged
ecosystems. The USGCRP budget includes $107 million in FY 2002 for the
study of the human dimensions of global change. The USGCRP contributes
to and benefits from international research efforts to improve
understanding of global change on both the regional and global scales.
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2002 |
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Our Changing Planet: The FY 2002 US Global Change Research Program is
a report to Congress supplementing the President's FY 2002 budget,
pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The report
describes the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP); summarizes
scientific insights from global change research, discusses the six
Research Program Elements and FY 2002 plans in each of these research
areas; and includes an appendix that details the FY 2002 budget,
including program components and program highlights for each of the
departments and agencies that comprise the USGCRP. Achieving the goals
of this program will require continued strong support for the
scientific research needed to improve understanding of how human
activities are affecting the global environment, and of how natural
and human-induced global change is affecting society and ecosystems.
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2002 |
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2002 |
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2003 |
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A report by the Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on
Global Change Research as a supplement to the President's FY 2003
budget. (1.7MB PDF file)
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2002 |
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Our Changing Planet: The FY 2002 Global Change Research Program is a
report to Congress supplementing the President's FY 2002 budget,
pursuant to the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The report
describes the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP); summarizes
scientific insights from global change research, discusses the six
Research Program Elements and FY 2002 plans in each of these research
areas; and includes an appendix that details the FY 2002 budget,
including program components and program highlights for each of the
departments and agencies that comprise the USGCRP. Achieving the goals
of this program will require continued strong support for the
scientific research needed to improve understanding of how human
activities are affecting the global environment, and of how natural
and human-induced global change is affecting society and ecosystems.
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The Pew Center on Global Climate Change is a non-profit, non-partisan
and independent organization dedicated to providing credible
information, straight answers and innovative solutions in the effort
to address global climate change.
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2003 |
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The ninth Conference of the Parties (COP-9) to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the nineteenth
sessions of the COP's Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice (SBSTA) and Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) were held
at the Fiera Milan Congress Center in Milan, Italy, from 1-12 December
2003. (388KB PDF file)
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1996 |
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This Technical Paper provides an overview and analysis of technologies
and measures to limit and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to
enhance GHG sinks under the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (FCCC). The paper focuses on technologies and measures
for the countries listed in Annex I of the FCCC, while noting
information as appropriate for use by non- Annex I countries.
Technologies and measures are examined over three time periods -- with
a focus on the short term (present to 2010) and the medium term
(2010-2020), but also including a discussion of longer-term (e.g.,
2050) possibilities and opportunities.
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The Transportation Energy Policy Analysis group, a part of the
Berkeley Lab's Energy Analysis Department, analyzes how the
combination of vehicle technology, land-use patterns, and driving
behavior affect energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the
transportation sector.
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2003 |
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U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham says the United States is moving
ahead in an unprecedented international effort to make clean energy
the cornerstone of economic growth, improved health and closer ties
among nations. (47KB PDF file)
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Regarding the effects of UV- B radiation on aquatic ecosystems, recent
scientific and public interest has focused on marine primary producers
and on the aquatic web, which has resulted in a multitude of studies
indicating mostly detrimental effects of UV- B radiation on aquatic
organisms. The interest has expanded to include ecologically
significant groups and major biomass producers using mesocosm studies,
emphasizing species interactions. This paper assesses the effects of
UV- B radiation on dissolved organic matter, decomposers, primary and
secondary producers, and briefly summarizes recent studies in
freshwater and marine systems.
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Weathervane, an online forum presented by Resources for the Future (RFF),
is designed to provide the news media, legislators, opinion leaders,
and the interested public with analysis and commentary on U.S. and
global policy initiative related to climate change. It focuses is on
the international negotiations that are to decide on goals and actions
under the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Weathervane
complements RFF's Climate Economics and Policy Program, which conducts
research into climate change policy. The site contains numerous papers
and discussions addressing climate policy and the economics of various
mitigation policies and technologies, such as carbon and emissions
trading and clean development mechanism.
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Links
