Environmental Policy Collection - 57 Matching Results
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- Agency Collaboration for UNCCD Implementation: Current Situation and Lessons Learned
- This joint publication of the Facilitation Committee of the Global Mechanism for the UNCCD CoP-6, (25 Aug - 5 Sept 2003, Havana, Cuba), presents short briefs by Committee members highlighting their commitment to CCD process and its implementation. It provides some lessons learnt from collaboration between members through a matrix of successful collaborative efforts to date.
- Agreement amending treaty with Canada concerning Pacific Coast albacore tuna vessels and port privileges : message from the President of the United States transmitting agreement amending treaty between the government of the United States of America and the government of Canada on Pacific Coast albacore tuna vessels and port privileges done at Washington, D.C., May 26, 1981 (The "Treaty"), effected by an exchange of diplomatic notes at Washington on July 17, 2002, and August 13, 2002 (The "Agreement")
- This document amends a treaty between the United States and Canada to manage tuna fishing.
- Amendments to 1987 Treaty on Fisheries with Pacific Island States : message from the President of the United States transmitting amendments to the 1987 Treaty on Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and the Government of the United States of America, with annexes and agreed statements, done at Port Moresby, April 2, 1987 (The "Treaty"), done at Koror, Palau, March 30, 1999, and at Kiritimati, Kiribati, March 24, 2002 : also transmitted, related amendments to the treaty annexes, and the memorandum of understanding
- This treaty further develops relationships between the United States and Pacific nations in the areas of fisheries management and conservation.
- Antarctic fact-file
- Antarctica is a continent for science. All countries working in Antarctica carry out scientific research, in a surprising range of physical and biological sciences, from the vastness of space to the minute scale of micro-organisms. Activities are regulated by the Antarctic Treaty, which has been in force since 1959 and is signed by all countries operating there. The Treaty reserves the continent for peaceful purposes, and all military and industrial activities are banned.
- An Assessment of Coastal Hypoxia and Eutrophication in U.S. Waters
- This document is about hypoxia in aquatic ecosystems. Hypoxia is a depletion of oxygen caused by runoff, land cover change, and other factors associated with population growth and agriculture. The report discusses mitigation strategies and trends in managing this problem.
- Assessment of Knowledge on Impacts of Climate Change - Contribution to the Specification of Art. 2 of the UNFCCC: Impacts on Ecosystems, Food Production, Water and Socio-economic Systems
- The purpose of this report is to compile and summarise the present knowledge on impacts of climate change as a basis for a consideration of what may constitute dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system under Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). An attempt will be made to associate projected global mean surface temperature and/or sea level changes with specific identified impacts and effects in order to assist a discussion on the operationalization of Article 2. The main emphasis will be on ecosystem effects, food production, water resources, and sustainable development.
- Buying Time: A User’s Manual for Building Resistance and Resilience to Climate Change in Natural Systems
- This publication is meant for Protected Areas Managers. It gives detailed information about assessing occurring and possible damage from climate change and fending off the damage - buying time for our protected areas while the world works out the only long-term solution - reducing CO2 emissions.
- Carbon Monoxide from California Fires
- Large fires can be blamed for some polluted air. In addition to ash and smoke, fires release carbon monoxide into the atmosphere as they burn. This false-color image shows the atmospheric column of carbon monoxide, with yellow and red indicating high levels of pollution. (The gray areas show where no data were taken, likely due to cloud cover.) The data were taken by the Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite for the period October 26-31, 2003.
- Carbon Sequestration - Field Hearing
- This brief document contains remarks by Dr. James Mahoney to the U.S Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation [Map]
- The Circumpolar Arctic Vegetation Map shows the types of vegetation that occur across the Arctic, between the ice-covered Arctic Ocean to the north and the northern limit of forests to the south. Environmental and climatic conditions are extreme, with a short growing season and low summer temperatures. As one moves southward (outward from map's center in all directions), the amount of warmth available for plant growth increases considerably.
- Climate change
- The Earth's climate has not been constant over geological time. This record is contained in ice, which has built up as snowfall accumulated in distinct yearly layers. Pockets of air trapped between the snow crystals contain traces of past atmospheres, which in turn tell us about the climate at the time the snow formed. Glaciologists collect this record by drilling ice cores and then use sensitive chemical techniques to analyse the layers.
- Climate Change Science Program Overview and Management
- This program identifies the following criteria of interest: scientific or technical quality; relevance to reducing uncertainties and improving decision support tools; track record of consistently good past performance and identified metrics for evaluating future progress; and cost and value.
- Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan Executive Summary: Building a Course for Greater Climate Understanding
- This document describes a research strategy for developing improved knowledge of climate variability and change and the potential impacts on the environment and on human lives. It also provides for the development of resources and tools that will empower policy-makers with the knowledge necessary for making decisions.
- Conserving Nature - Partnering with People brochure on WWF's work on protected areas
- WWF is working harder than ever to establish a global network of ecologically representative and effectively managed land, freshwater, and marine protected areas. With 40 years experience, targeted conservation goals, and projects combining practical field implementation with highlevel policy work in over 100 countries, we are uniquely placed to lead protected area work into the 21st century.
- Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development
- This report contains the proceedings of a Roundtable of panelists speaking on the connection between biodiversity and cultural diversity, and on how sustainable solutions for development will benefit both types of diversity.
- Declaration of the Earth Observation Summit
- This single page document is a declaration of the participants of the Earth Observation Summit held in Washington DC, adopted on July 31, 2003. An affirmation for the need for timely, quality, long-term, global information as a basis for sound decision making. Also establishes an ad hoc Group on Earth Observations aimed at developing a global observing strategy.
- Definitions and Methodological Options to Inventory Emissions from Direct Human-induced Degradation of Forests and Devegetation of Other Vegetation Types
- This report on Definitions and Methodological Options to Inventory Emissions from Direct Human-Induced Degradation of Forests and Devegetation of Other Vegetation Types is the response from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)1 to an invitation from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)2 . The report was prepared in cooperation with the preparation of the other report under the IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme (IPCC-NGGIP), on Good Practice Guidance for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (GPG-LULUCF). The report discusses: Alternative definitions and provides possible framework definitions for countries to consider; Methodological options to inventory emissions from degradation and devegetation activities; Approaches to reporting and documentation; and Implications of methodological and definitional options for accounting under the provisions of Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol (including issues of scale, costs and accuracy).
- Effective Sea System and Case Studies
- This report describes SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment), and case studies demonstrating the merits of SEA in Europe and North America. The report is aimed at helping readers understanding and implementing SEA.
- Environmental Impact Assessment Act
- This law was passed by the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to protect the natural environment from some of the negative effects of economic growth.
- Establishing the Leakage Rates of Mobile Air Conditioners
- The purpose of the study is to - based on field measurements - determine the average annual leakage rate of HFC-134a from MACs in the European Union of a "second generation"1 air conditioner. From November 2002, to January 2003 300 measurements of HFC-134a leakage were carried out on air conditioners of cars up to seven years age. The measurements were carried out on vehicles of all EU relevant makes at 19 garages in Germany (Osnabrück), Portugal (Rio Maior) and Sweden (Helsingborg) reflecting different climatic conditions.
- Fiscal Year 2005- 2006 Accelerated Research on Global Climate Observations Fact Sheet
- Coincident with the release of the Climate Change Science Program strategic plan, the Administration announces plans for the acceleration of select high priority research projects and climate observations. These activities contribute to filling critical knowledge gaps identified in the plan (aerosols, oceans and the natural carbon cycle). The selected investments have been coordinated among the agencies to maximize the overall impact. Funding will be reallocated from lower priority areas to enable these critical investments.
- Fueling Transportation Finance: A Primer on the Gas Tax
- This report is about a study of the collection, allocation, and use of federal and state taxes on motor fuels the “gas tax”.
- Global Carbon Project: The Science Framework and Implementation
- Carbon cycle research is often carried out in isolation from research on energy systems and normally focuses only on the biophysical patterns and processes of carbon sources and sinks. The Global Carbon Project represents a significant advance beyond the status quo in several important ways. First, the problem is conceptualised from the outset as one involving fully integrated human and natural components; the emphasis is on the carbon-climate-human system (fossil-fuel based energy systems + biophysical carbon cycle + physical climate system) and not simply on the biophysical carbon cycle alone. Secondly, the development of new methodologies for analysing and modelling the integrated carbon cycle is a central feature of the project. Thirdly, the project provides an internally consistent framework for the coordination and integration of the many national and regional carbon cycle research programmes that are being established around the world. Fourthly, the project addresses questions of direct policy relevance, such as the management strategies and sustainable regional development pathways required to achieve stabilisation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Finally, the Global Carbon Project goes beyond the traditional set of stakeholders for a global change research project by seeking to engage the industrial and energy sectors as well as the economic development and resource management sectors in the developing regions of the world.
- Global Climate Change: U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Status, Trends, and Projections
- According to the summary, this report reviews U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases in the contexts both of domestic policy and of international obligations and proposals.
- Global Drylands Imperative Challenge Paper: Pastoralism and Mobility In Drylands
- Nomadic pastoralists and the dryland ecosystems they occupy form a critically important but little known livelihood system. Pastoralists have been ill-served by development policies and actions so far, since planners have almost without exception tried to convert the pastoralists into something else, judged more modern, more progressive and more productive. Happily this is now changing, as researchers and planners revise their ideas and identify a new development agenda. Many of these changes have resulted from successfully listening to herders themselves
- The Global Drylands Initiative: Land Tenure Reform and The Drylands
- The paper focuses on the need to rethink conventional wisdom on land tenure approaches and asks how we can best respond to the land tenure problems. It provides a comparative overview of land tenure systems in the drylands, identifies challenges and trends in land tenure reform projects, and offers ideas for decision-makers.
- Greenhouse Gas Reduction Pathways: In the UNFCCC Process up to 2025
- Meeting the EU objective of limiting global average temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels requires a peak in global greenhouse gas emissions within the next two decades. This means that early participation of developing countries in global emission control is needed, even under a significant strengthening of the commitments of Annex I countries under the Kyoto Protocol. The study has shown that it is possible to design a set of consistent rules for the attribution of the long-term emission endowments of the different world regions. The gains from participating in global emission trading and from reduced air pollution damage and/or abatement costs does substantially enhance, from a developing country perspective, the attractiveness of an early participation in a regime based on greenhouse gas reduction pathways, provided that the level and the form of their commitment is well designed so as to minimise economic risks.
- Kyoto Protocol Implementation
- This report analyze the impacts of linking JI and CDM to the future European Emission Allowance Trading System (ETSy). The result indicate that the volume of credits obtained through JI and CDM projects by the enlarged EU Emission Allowance Trading Scheme, as well as the magnitude of cost savings and allowance price impacts will crucially depend on how much competition there will be from EU Member States and other countries in JI and CDM credits.
- Marine Ecosystems and Global Change
- The ocean is a vital component of the metabolism of the Earth and plays a key role in global change. In fact, the oceans cover so much of the Earth's surface that our planet has been described as the Water Planet, and it could be argued that its most extensive ecosystems are marine. Marine ecosystems are inextricably involved in the physical, chemical, biological and societal processes of global change. It is impossible to describe and understand the Earth system without understanding the ocean, the special characteristics of the environment that it provides for life, the changes that it is undergoing and the manner in which these changes interact with the total Earth System. Understanding the functioning of marine ecosystems and how they respond to global change is also essential in order to effectively manage global marine living resources, such as fisheries. The GLOBEC project is an international response to the need to understand how global change will affect the abundance, diversity and productivity of marine populations, from zooplankton to fish, that comprise a major component of oceanic ecosystems. GLOBEC's goal is to advance our understanding of the structure and functioning of such ecosystems, their major subsystems, and responses to physical forcing so that a capability can be developed to forecast the response of marine ecosystems to global change. This volume in the IGBP Science Series, "Marine Ecosystems and Global Change", gives topical examples of the scientifi c problems that GLOBEC is tackling, the innovative approaches adopted, and some selected scientific achievements. It has been written at a time when GLOBEC is in the mid-phase of its implementation. The ultimate achievements of GLOBEC research will be presented in a final synthesis at the end of the project.
- Modernizing NEPA Implementation
- This report presents recommendations to change the NEPA implementation process, based on the review of an appointed task force.
- No Place to Hide:: Effects of Climate Change on Protected Areas
- This paper considers the potential impacts of climate change on protected areas (PAs) and actions that can be taken to mitigate them. Recent research suggests that the types of environmental changes predicted in climatic models are now taking place. Studies of many animals and plants that show significant alterations in range or behaviour find that the most consistent explanation for these is climate change. These impacts may necessitate a fundamental rethinking in the approach to protection. Protected areas are rooted in the concept of permanence: protection works best as a conservation tool if the area remains protected for the foreseeable future. But under climate change, species for which a particular protected area was established may no longer survive there. Some protected areas - for instance in coastal, arctic and mountain regions - may disappear altogether in their current form.
- NOAA Reports Potent Greenhouse Gas Levels Off
- This document provides a summary of a study by NOAA researchers and National Institute for Space Research in the Netherlands. According to the study, one of the atmosphere's most potent greenhouse gases, methane, may now have leveled off. Scientists aren't sure yet if this "leveling off" is just a temporary pause in two centuries of increase or a new state of equilibrium.
- OECD Global Forum on Substainable Development: Emission Trading: Concerted Action On Tradeable Emissions Permits Country Forum
- The aim of the Forum was to bring representatives from OECD and non-OECD country governments together with representatives from the research community, to identify and discuss key policy issues relating to greenhouse gas emissions trading and other project based mechanisms for GHG emission reduction, such as Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism. The Forum also aimed to promote dialogue between the various stakeholder groups, and discuss policy needs in the design and implementation of tradeable emissions schemes. Forum participants included representatives from OECD and non-OECD governments, as well as from the research community. Those from industry and other institutions involved with emissions trading, joint implementation and clean development mechanism projects such as the European Commission and the World Bank were also represented.
- OECD Global Forum on Sustainable Development: Emissions Trading: Concerted Action on Tradeable Emissions Permits Country Forum
- The aim of the Forum was to bring representatives from OECD and non-OECD country governments together with representatives from the research community, to identify and discuss key policy issues relating to GHG emissions trading and other project based mechanisms for GHG emission reduction, such as Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism. These mechanisms are of significant interest to both Economies in Transition and developing countries. The scope of the Forum also covered experiences with the use of emission trading in other environmental policy applications, such as reducing conventional air pollutants.
- OECD Global Forum on Sustainable Development: Emissions Trading: Concerted Action on Tradeable Emissions Permits Country Forum
- The aim of the Forum was to bring representatives from OECD and non-OECD country governments together with representatives from the research community, to identify and discuss key policy issues relating to greenhouse gas emissions trading and other project based mechanisms for GHG emission reduction, such as Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism. The Forum also aimed to promote dialogue between the various stakeholder groups, and discuss policy needs in the design and implementation of tradeable emissions schemes. Forum participants included representatives from OECD and non-OECD governments, as well as from the research community. Those from industry and other institutions involved with emissions trading, joint implementation and clean development mechanism projects such as the European Commission and the World Bank were also represented.
- Our Planet, Volume 14, Number 1, 2003
- Magazine of the United Nations Environment Programme discussing worldwide environmental policies and other concerns. This issue is devoted to water consumption.
- Overview of the CCSP Strategic Plan
- The Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program was released in July 2003. The document is the first comprehensive update of a national plan for climate and global change research since the original U.S. Global Change Research Program strategy was issued at the inception of the program in 1989.
- The ozone hole
- Discovery of the hole in the ozone layer showed that human activity can have major, and often unexpected impacts on the planet. The destruction of ozone in the stratosphere high above the planet's surface has been brought about as the result of the widespread use of chemicals which under normal conditions are chemically inert and harmless
- The Path to Carbon Dioxide-Free Power: Switching to Clean Energy in the Utility Sector
- This report examines the policies and measures needed to accelerate the use of those technologies and dramatically reduce U.S. heat-trapping gas emissions by 2020. The goal is to set the nation on the path to achieving zero-carbon electricity by mid-century.
- Planning Climate and Global Change Research: A Review of the Draft U.S. Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan
- A draft strategic plan for the Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) was released to the scientific community and the public in November 2002. At the request of the CCSP, the National Academies formed a committee to review this draft strategic plan; the results of this review are reported herein.
- Policy Issues In Implementing Effective Application Of Weather Services To The Management Of The Nation's Highway System: Position Papers
- This document contains positions papers of a policy forum for weather and highways developed by the Atmospheric Policy Program American Meteorological Society in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) with additional support from the National Science Foundation (NSF). In this document (Panel 3), panelists discuss policy issues affecting the use of weather information in managing the U.S. Highway System.
- Power Switch: Impacts of Climate Policy on the Global Power Sector
- This report assesses the financial consequences of climate change policy for 14 leading global power companies.
- Public (Federal, State, Local) And Industrial Development Of Strategies And Plans To Effectively Respond To Weather Information: Position Papers
- This document contains positions papers of a policy forum for weather and highways developed by the Atmospheric Policy Program American Meteorological Society in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) with additional support from the National Science Foundation (NSF). In this document (Panel 2), panelists discuss strategies to respond to weather and climate information. There are many opportunities to improve the highway system through an inclusive approach, taking into account the strengths of the research community, the private sector and the state and federal practitioners. As a first step, the weather community must better understand the mission and expectations of the highway manager and the highway manager must be able to understand the limitations and near term improvements of the weather community.
- Public Law of Maine: First Regular Session of the 121st
- An Act To Provide Leadership in Addressing the Threat of Climate Change.
- Remarks by Administrator O'Keefe at the Earth Observation Summit
- Remarks by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe at the 2003 Earth Observation Summit in Washington, DC. The purpose of the summit was to promote the development of a comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained Earth observation system or systems among governments and the international community to understand and address global environmental and economic challenges, and also to begin a process to develop a conceptual framework and implementation plan for building this integrated Earth observation system. When the space age dawned it was clear that the ability to propel robotic spacecraft and humans beyond the gravity of our home planet would open up untold avenues of exploration and discovery throughout the Solar System and beyond. What was not understood at the time was how comprehensive observations of the Earth system from space would lead to a significant new field of scientific inquiry.
- Report of the 21st Session of the IPCC
- The Chair gave his opening address, outlining the issues faced by the Panel in preparing for the Fourth Assessment Report and highlighted the rigorous efforts undertaken thus far in scoping the structure and contents of the report. The Panel noted that the preparation of an AR4 SYR that would meet the expectations of most delegations would require extensive consultation and the early and full commitment of many of those who would also be involved in the preparation of the individual Working Group (WG) reports. It noted that the AR4 SYR could: Bring together the main messages from the individual WG reports: Synthesise cross-cutting information from the individual WG reports, including the AR4 cross-cutting themes: Provide a top-down perspective for decision makers on issues covered by the AR4: Produce an overview of the key conclusions of AR4 in non-technical and readily translatable language: Re-assess the policy relevant questions addressed in the TAR SYR.
- Report of the Nineteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- Different speakers addressed the Panel. Among other decisions of the Nineteenth Session of the IPCC: the Panel decided that well before the next round of elections the Chair would bring to the Panel a proposal describing the rules and procedures to be adopted by the IPCC when conducting elections. The Panel also decided on the terms of reference, draft table of content and draft workplan for developing definitions for degradation of forest and devegetation of other vegetation types, and methodological options to inventory and report on emissions resulting from these activities.
- Report of the Twentieth Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- This meeting focused on the future of the IPCC and discussed on various reports. The Deputy Executive-Director of the UNEP, addressed the Session on key climate and environmental change issues and informed the session about relevant decisions of the 22nd session of the UNEP Governing Council. Among other speakers, Mr Taka Hiraishi, co-chair of the TFB, introduced a report on the development of the Emissions Factors Data Base (EFDB). He noted, inter alia, that the current aim is to develop a recognised library of emissions factors, and that the search for members of the editorial board is not yet complete.
- Report on the TCO/GCP Terrestrial Carbon Observations and Model-Data Fusion Workshop
- The global carbon cycle is of intense interest to policy-makers, the scientific community, and public organizations. As a result, numerous new programmes and projects have been developed over the last few years. TCO and GCP are two such complementary initiatives which share a common goal of advancing the availability of more accurate and mutually consistent estimates of terrestrial carbon sources, sinks and processes, regionally and globally, through syntheses of observations and models. The workshop was intended to advance the availability of more accurate and mutually consistent estimates of the distribution of carbon sources and sinks at a regional and global level. This goal can be achieved by convergence of in situ and satellite observations, experiments and modelling strategies; improvements in data acquisition and sharing; and product generation, distribution and use. The workshop focused on the following questions and associated issues: 1. What carbon cycle data products could be routinely produced from a carbon observation system based on model-data and model-data fusion? 2. What are the main conceptual approaches to assimilating atmospheric carbon content, terrestrial carbon flux and remotely sensed data into coupled atmospheric circulation-carbon cycle models? 3. What is the present and eventual uncertainty regarding the main carbon fluxes at global and regional scale, and how will it be reduced by projects currently underway and about to begin? 4. In what regions, and on what topics, will new data inputs make the largest contribution to reducing the residual uncertainties? What actions should be taken to overcome the gaps and limitations identified?
- Science Perspectives on the CCSP Strategic Plan
- Scientists offer comments on the Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan