SUBCHAPTER II—INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH
§2951. Findings and purposes
(a) Findings
The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Pooling of international resources and scientific capabilities will be essential to a successful international global change program.
(2) While international scientific planning is already underway, there is currently no comprehensive intergovernmental mechanism for planning, coordinating, or implementing research to understand global change and to mitigate possible adverse effects.
(3) An international global change research program will be important in building future consensus on methods for reducing global environmental degradation.
(4) The United States, as a world leader in environmental and Earth sciences, should help provide leadership in developing and implementing an international global change research program.
(b) Purposes
The purposes of this subchapter are to—
(1) promote international, intergovernmental cooperation on global change research;
(2) involve scientists and policymakers from developing nations in such cooperative global change research programs; and
(3) promote international efforts to provide technical and other assistance to developing nations which will facilitate improvements in their domestic standard of living while minimizing damage to the global or regional environment.
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§2952. International discussions
(a) Global change research
The President should direct the Secretary of State, in cooperation with the Committee, to initiate discussions with other nations leading toward international protocols and other agreements to coordinate global change research activities. Such discussions should include the following issues:
(1) Allocation of costs in global change research programs, especially with respect to major capital projects.
(2) Coordination of global change research plans with those developed by international organizations such as the International Council on Scientific Unions, the World Meteorological Organization, and the United Nations Environment Program.
(3) Establishment of global change research centers and training programs for scientists, especially those from developing nations.
(4) Development of innovative methods for management of international global change research, including—
(A) use of new or existing intergovernmental organizations for the coordination or funding of global change research; and
(B) creation of a limited foundation for global change research.
(5) The prompt establishment of international projects to—
(A) create globally accessible formats for data collected by various international sources; and
(B) combine and interpret data from various sources to produce information readily usable by policymakers attempting to formulate effective strategies for preventing, mitigating, and adapting to possible adverse effects of global change.
(6) Establishment of international offices to disseminate information useful in identifying, preventing, mitigating, or adapting to the possible effects of global change.
(b) Energy research
The President should direct the Secretary of State (in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Commerce, the United States Trade Representative, and other appropriate members of the Committee) to initiate discussions with other nations leading toward an international research protocol for cooperation on the development of energy technologies which have minimally adverse effects on the environment. Such discussions should include, but not be limited to, the following issues:
(1) Creation of an international cooperative program to fund research related to energy efficiency, solar and other renewable energy sources, and passively safe and diversion-resistant nuclear reactors.
(2) Creation of an international cooperative program to develop low cost energy technologies which are appropriate to the environmental, economic, and social needs of developing nations.
(3) Exchange of information concerning environmentally safe energy technologies and practices, including those described in paragraphs (1) and (2).
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§2953. Global Change Research Information Office
Not more than 180 days after November 16, 1990, the President shall, in consultation with the Committee and all relevant Federal agencies, establish an Office of Global Change Research Information. The purpose of the Office shall be to disseminate to foreign governments, businesses, and institutions, as well as the citizens of foreign countries, scientific research information available in the United States which would be useful in preventing, mitigating, or adapting to the effects of global change. Such information shall include, but need not be limited to, results of scientific research and development on technologies useful for—
(1) reducing energy consumption through conservation and energy efficiency;
(2) promoting the use of solar and renewable energy sources which reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere;
(3) developing replacements for chlorofluorocarbons, halons, and other ozone-depleting substances which exhibit a significantly reduced potential for depleting stratospheric ozone;
(4) promoting the conservation of forest resources which help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere;
(5) assisting developing countries in ecological pest management practices and in the proper use of agricultural, and industrial chemicals; and
(6) promoting recycling and source reduction of pollutants in order to reduce the volume of waste which must be disposed of, thus decreasing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
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