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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.
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program Vision for the Program and Highlights of the Scientific Strategic Plan
The vision document provides an overview of the Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) long-term strategic plan to enhance scientific understanding of global climate change.This document is a companion to the comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Climate Change Science Program.
Strategic Plan for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program
This strategic plan has been prepared by the 13 federal agencies participating in the CCSP, with coordination by the CCSP staff under the leadership of Dr. Richard H. Moss. This strategic plan responds to the President's direction that climate change research activities be accelerated to provide the best possible scientific information to support public discussion and decision-making on climate-related issues.The plan also responds to Section 104 of the Global Change Research Act of 1990, which mandates the development and periodic updating of a long-term national global change research plan coordinated through the National Science and Technology Council.This is the first comprehensive update of a strategic plan for U.S. global change and climate change research since the original plan for the U.S. Global Change Research Program was adopted at the inception of the program in 1989.
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.
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.
IPCC Special Report Aviation and the Global Atmosphere: Summary for Policymakers
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was jointly established by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1988 to: (i) assess available information on the science, the impacts, and the economics of, and the options for mitigating and/or adapting to, climate change and (ii) provide, on request, scientific/technical/socio-economic advice to the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Since then the IPCC has produced a series of Assessment Reports, Special Reports, Technical Papers, methodologies, and other products that have become standard works of reference, widely used by policymakers, scientists, and other experts. This Special Report was prepared following a request from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The state of understanding of the relevant science of the atmosphere, aviation technology, and socio-economic issues associated with mitigation options is assessed and reported for both subsonic and supersonic fleets. The potential effects that aviation has had in the past and may have in the future on both stratospheric ozone depletion and global climate change are covered; environmental impacts of aviation at the local scale, however, are not addressed. The report synthesizes the findings to identify and characterize options for mitigating future impacts.
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980
The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act -- otherwise known as CERCLA or Superfund -- provides a Federal "Superfund" to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. Through CERCLA, EPA was given power to seek out those parties responsible for any release and assure their cooperation in the cleanup.
The Clean Air Act
The United States Clean Air Act is legislation authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to control air pollutiants on a national level.
What Can Be Learned From Champions of Ozone Layer Protection for Urban and Regional Carbon Management in Japan?
The document contains the opening addresses of the conveners and presentation slides of the presenters in the Tokyo Office of the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) event. The conference was organized around the idea of introducing two important groups to each other to stimulate new ideas to break through barriers for carbon management, a major environmental and social challenge in the 21st Century.
Global Environmental Change and Human Health: Science Plan and Implementation Strategy
It is widely, often intuitively, understood that human societies and the well being and health of their populations depend on the flow of materials, services and cultural enrichment from the natural world. Nevertheless, to date there has been little formal description and study of the relationships between global environmental changes and human health, and of the ways in which social institutions and processes modulate those relationships. For several human-induced global environmental changes, particularly changes to the world's climate system and to the ultraviolet radiation-filtering functions of the stratosphere, there has been a recent increase in research into the main health risks. But for most other global environmental changes little formal research on the risks to human health has been carried out. Indeed, among the practitioners of the various scientific disciplines engaged in studying the processes and impacts of global environmental changes - including environmental sciences, ecology, geography, economics, etc. - there has been relatively little recognition that ecosystem disruptions, species extinctions, degradation of food-producing systems, the perturbation of cycling of elements and nutrients, and the spread of cities pose risks to the well being and health of human populations. This science plan and implementation strategy proposes to address this gap in knowledge and research.
Towards Sustainable Global Health
Global health has in recent years drawn increasing scientific, political and popular attention not only due to global epidemics themselves,but also because of the social activities and environmental conditions that shape health threats and influence those who are affected. The study dealswith the issue of 'Sustainable Global Health'which has evolved from the realization that there will be no alleviation of poverty without success in control of serious public health threats, no economic prosperity and sustainability without a healthy workforce, and no social stability and peace as long as people have to suffer from insufficient health services, from malnutrition, from HIV/AIDS pandemics, or from lack of safe water. The study addresses a broad range of issues related to human health at regional and global levels. It includes the theme of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a tool for the private sector to exercise responsibility and interest in using the workplaces as a route and as means for education, and for a wide participation of every citizen in securing his or her individual health and well-being. Highlighted throughout the study are integrated approaches towards sustainable health.These approaches shed light on both the importance of multilevel health governance and the understanding of human health as an issue of human security in responding to health threats. Furthermore,the study emphasizes the links between the phenomena of global environmental change, which often further increases pressure on health systems, and the crucial role urban areas play in this realm.
The Global Water System Project: Science Framework and Implementation Activities
Water plays a key role in the development and functioning of society by serving as a basic resource for activities such as irrigation, livestock production, fisheries, aquaculture, and hydroelectric power. Adequate water use in house-holds, businesses and manufacturing is a prerequisite of economic growth. Since many of the world's diseases are waterborne, we need clean water and sanitation for reducing the incidence of these diseases. And, most significantly, water provides habitat and sustenance for a rich diversity of plant and animal species that make up aquatic and riparian ecosystems, providing the basis for many of the goods and services received by society. Society is forcing unprecedented changes on global water resources through worldwide abstraction and pollution of water. Society also has a pervasive indirect impact because anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are causing long-term global changes in weather extremes and climate. Changes in the global water system are difficult to understand with simple cause-effect relationships because of the intense and complex linkages and feedbacks between different parts of the system. These changes and linkages also sometimes lead to abrupt changes in water systems such as the eutrophication of coastal aquatic systems, loss of biodiversity, the exceedance of safe water supply in urban areas, or intense competition between different water sectors for remaining water resources.
Biodiversité: Quelle Recherche Dans 15 Ans?: Enjeux, Chercheurs, Contextes
Proceedings of a meeting of the French Institute of Biodiversity (IFB), setting a course of research for the next fifteen years. The IFB, composed of government agencies, research organizations, and NGOs, is a scientific interest group promoting scientific research in biodiversity. The IFB is devoted to coordinating research on biodiversity in all natural and social sciences, to promoting biodiversity research at the national, European, and international levels, and to disseminating knowledge and providing educational outreach to the general public.
Law of the People's Republic of China on Conserving Energy
This Law is formulated in order to promote energy conservation by all sectors of society, increase energy efficiency to benefit economic development, protect the environment, ensure national economic and social development, and meet the people's needs in everyday life.
Law of the People's Republic of China on Desert Prevention and Transformation
This Law was formulated in order to prevent desertification, to improve and reclaim desertified land, to protect the environment, and to promote a sustainable economy and society.
Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution
This Law is formulated for the purpose of preventing and controlling atmospheric pollution, protecting and improving the environment for a healthy society and ecology, and promoting the development of a sustainable economy and society.
Draft Report of the 26th Session of the IPCC
The IPCC Panel at its 26th session called on partnerships and collaboration to address climate change, as well as a better understanding of social and economic dimensions of mitigation and adaptation. The Panel recalls its support for decoupling the climate modeling work from the emission scenario development work, in order to allow climate modelers a quick start with their work after the completion of the AR4. Also, the Panel now requests the Steering Committee on New Scenarios to prepare a few benchmark concentration scenarios through the IPCC Expert Meeting 19-22 September 2007 in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. These benchmark concentration scenarios should be compatible with the full range of stabilization, mitigation and baseline emission scenarios available in the current scientific literature.
Report of the 27th Session of the the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Twenty-Seventh Session focused on the adoption and approval of the draft Synthesis Report of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). as indicated in the agenda, a discussion paper about the future of the IPCC was introduced, among other items that required consideration and decision by the Panel.
Draft Report of the 28th Session of the IPCC
The focus of this meeting was on the Future of the IPCC, including key aspects of the future IPCC work programme and the future structure of the IPCC Bureau and the TFB. The Panel was also invited to consider of the outcome of the Scoping Meeting for a possible Special Report on renewable energy and a proposal for the use of the Funds from the Nobel Peace Prize. The Chair informed the Panel about action taken by the 37th Session of the IPCC Bureau (Budapest, 7-8 April 2008) concerning the finalization of the Technical Paper on Climate Change and Water.
Draft Report of the 29th Session of the IPCC
The focus of this meeting was on the future of the IPCC, in particular the scoping of the 5th Assessment Report. The Panel was also invited to consider the outcome of the Scoping Meeting for a possible Special Report on "Extreme events and disasters: managing the risks", and of the Expert Meeting on "Alternative common metrics to calculate the CO2 equivalence of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases".
Draft Report of the 30th Session of the IPCC
This meeting focused on the future of the IPCC, in particular the scoping of the 5th Assessment Report. Among other isues, the Panel considered the outcome of the Scoping Meeting for a possible Special Report on "Extreme events and disasters: managing the risks", and of the Expert Meeting on "Alternative common metrics to calculate the CO2 equivalence of anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases".
Climate and Global Change Interagency Inventory Data Sheet
The Climate and Global Change Interagency Inventory Data Sheet is a working document (dated August 2002) that includes information provided by federal agencies regarding their climate and global change research activities.
Japan-U.S. Joint Message on Climate Change Negotiations
A joint message on Climate Change Negotiations between Japan and U.S.
Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Water Pollution
This Law is formulated for the purpose of preventing and controlling water pollution, protecting and improving the environment, safeguarding human health, ensuring the effective use of water resources and facilitating the development of socialist modernization.
Law of the People's Republic of China on Water and Soil Conservation
This Law was established for the purpose of the prevention and control of soil erosion; the protection and rational utilization of water and soil resources; the mitigation of flooding, drought, and sandstorm; the improvement of ecological environment and the development of production.
Report of Planning Workshop on MAIRS Mountain Zone Implementation
Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study (MAIRS) is an IRS research program over monsoon Asia under START and the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP). It was established to address questions about the coupled human and environment system in the monsoon Asia region. The vision of MAIRS is to significantly advance understanding of the interactions between the human and natural components of the overall environment in the monsoon Asian region and implications for the global earth system, in order to support strategies for sustainable development. Regional-scale studies of global change provide the knowledge base for undertaking vulnerability analyses, identification of hotspots of risk and studies of environmental degradation which are crucial for the sustainable development. Regions may manifest significantly different environmental dynamics, and changes in regional biophysical, biogeochemical and anthropogenic components may produce considerably different consequences for the earth system at the global scale. Regions are not closed systems and thus the linkages between regional changes and the global earth system are crucial. This specific report focuses on Planning Workshop on MAIRS Mountain Zone Implementation that held in China. Integrated Regional Studies (IRSs) should have relevance for people living in the regions and should provide a sound scientific basis for the sustainable development of the countries in the regions, and IRSs are also important from an earth system science perspective.
Our Changing Planet: The FY 2002 U.S. Global Change Research Program
This document, which is produced annually, describes the activities and plans of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which was established in 1989 and authorized by Congress in the Global Change Research Act of 1990. Strong bipartisan support for this inter-agency program has resulted in more than a decade's worth of scientific accomplishment. "Because there is considerable uncertainty in current understanding of how the climate system varies naturally and reacts to emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols, current estimates of the magnitude of future warming should be regarded as tentative and subject to future adjustments (either upward or downward). Reducing the wide range of uncertainty inherent in current model predictions of global climate change will require major advances in understanding and modeling of both (1) the factors that determine atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols, and (2) the so-called 'feedbacks' that determine the sensitivity of the climate system to a prescribed increase in greenhouse gases. There is also a pressing need for a global system designed for monitoring climate. Climate projections will always be far from perfect. Confidence limits and probabilistic information, with their basis, should always be considered as an integral part of the information that climate scientists provide to policy- and decision-makers. Without them, the IPCC SPM [Summary for Policymakers] could give the impression that the science of global warming is 'settled,' even though many uncertainties still remain. The emission scenarios used by the IPCC provide a good example. Human dimensions will almost certainly alter emissions over the next century. Because we cannot predict either the course of human populations, technology, or societal transitions with any clarity, the actual greenhouse gas emissions could either be greater or less than the IPCC scenarios. Without an understanding of the sources and degree of uncertainty, decision makers could fail …
Law of the People's Republic of China on the Promotion of Clean Production
This Law was enacted in order to promote cleaner production, increase the efficiency of resource utilization, reduce and avoid the generation of pollutants, protect and improve the environment, ensure public health, and promote sustainable development of the economy and society.
Report of the Sixteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
This meeting focused on the future of the IPCC. Among other isues, the Panel considered the budget and assessed the National greenhouse gas inventories program (IPCC NGGIP).
Report of the Seventeenth Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Different speakers addressed the Panel, and some highlighted the importance of sound data for monitoring and predicting the climate system and noted with concern the decline in observational networks. Others emphasized the value of the scientific information provided by the IPCC for the Convention process and highlighted the need to integrate scientific assessments in sustainable development consideration and to communicate with a wider audience.
Report of the Eighteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Different speakers addressed the Panel. Among other issues, the Eighteenth Session of the IPCC decided that its work must continue to maintain its high scientific and technical standards, independence, transparency and geographic balance, to ensure a balanced reporting of viewpoints and to be policy relevant but not policy prescriptive or policy driven.
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 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 22nd Session of the IPCC
The session opened after a lighting of lamp ceremony by H.E. Mr Thiru A. Raja, Minister of Environment and Forests, India and other dignitaries. Following this a number of speakers noted the significance of ensuring that the findings of the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) reach the public at large, and the need for AR4 to highlight research in developing countries. UNEP Executive Director highlighted the significance of the work of the IPCC for related policy processes, and commended the increased involvement by women and developing country authors in the AR4. Mr Halldor Thorgeirsson highlighted the importance placed by the UNFCCC on climate monitoring, the ongoing revision of the greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting guidelines, and good practice guidance on land use, land-use change and forestry.
Report of the 23rd Session of the IPCC
In the context of this agenda item discussion took place on the management plan for the AR4 SYR. The Panel agreed that further consideration will be given by the Bureau to aspects of arrangements for management of the AR4 SYR, and progress reported to the Panel.
Report of the 24th Session of the IPCC
The meeting highlighted recent progress in the work of the IPCC, in particular the completion of the two Special Reports on Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System (SROC), and on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (SRCCS) and the preparations for the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). Among other speakers, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Mr Klaus Töpfer addressed the Session on the linkages between science and climate change policy and the increasing need for information from the IPCC. He reaffirmed UNEP's commitment to the IPCC and supported early planning for the period beyond AR4. The Deputy Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), also addressed the Panel on the importance of the principles of impartiality, transparency, scientific authority and integrity for the past success of the IPCC, the linkages of WMO programmes and IPCC assessments, and WMO's commitment to the IPCC.
Report of the 25th Session of the IPCC
Among other topics, the panel introduced a proposal for further work on emission scenarios, which was developed based on the recommendations of the Task Group on New Emission Scenarios, established following a decision by the Panel at its 23rd Session. In the plenary debate several countries expressed support for the proposal and some underlined the need to also cover the requirements of impact, adaptation and vulnerability studies, the importance of regional scenarios and developing country involvement in scenario development. Some concern was expressed that integrated scenarios may go beyond the scope of the IPCC. Different views were expressed about the IPCC role in scenario development, including the view that the IPCC should no longer itself commission or direct scenario development. The suggestion was also made to draw on the expertise of the Task Group on Data and Scenario Support for Impact and Climate Assessment (TGICA). It was recommended to take a clear decision on the future role of the IPCC and to focus in the further consultations on aspects where urgent decisions were required.
IHDP Global Carbon Cycle Research: International Carbon Research Framework
The degree to which carbon flows balance each other - human activities leading to carbon emissions into the atmosphere, vegetation and oceans soaking it up - is the subject of vigorous debate. It is not yet possible to define quantitatively the global effects of human activities such as forestry and agriculture, and may never be so. However, studies to determine these effects have emerged as critical for understanding how the earth's climate will evolve in the future. Global concern about the potential implications of the behaviour of the carbon cycle under anthropogenic stress includes concepts of system instability and large scale change. To contribute to understanding this behaviour, and our potential responses to it, requires a thorough investigation of both biophysical and social systems. Until recently, most scientific assessments of such risks focused on the anatomy of conceivable environmental changes themselves, devoting little attention to either the human driving forces or the ecosystems and societies that might be endangered by the changes. Recently, however, questions about the linkage and interaction of social, ecological, and biogeochemical systems are emerging as a central focus of policy-driven assessments of global environmental risks. The approach used here is to accept humans as an integral part of the carbon cycle, not as an agent perturbing an otherwise natural system - indeed, this approach assumes there is no independence of the different components of the carbon cycle. The human dimensions research community sees this critical and necessary re-conceptualisation as the foundation of a new approach to studying the interaction between human and environmental systems.
Report of the First Session of the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The first session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 9 to 11 November 1988. The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading body for the assessment of climate change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences.
Report of the Second Session of the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Panel at its second session stressed the complexity of the climate change and related issues, such that a fine balance would have to be struck between available scientific evidence for climate change and the uncertainties in that knowledge base. The structure of the report was examined and approved. Panel also The panel also discussed on the first session if the IPCC Bureau and adopted various draft reports.
Report of the Third Session of the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Third session of the IPCC highlighted the magnitude of the global environmental problem and emphasized the need of improving our knowledge base and preparation for cooperative preventive actions. The Panel also emphasized the need for the marriage of science and politics in the good sense of the word.
Report of the Fourth Session of the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
The Fourth session of the IPCC highlighted that developed (industrialized) countries are responsible for some 75% of the total emission of carbon dioxide and a clear commitment to stabilize and then reduce greenhouse gas emission is necessary. Also, the Panel emphasized the need for massive expansion of research and development in new energy sources and more efficient resource management procedures. discussed on the IPCC work program for 1991 and beyond and provided objective analysis of scientific and technical assessment of the issue of climate change. The Panel also approved the report of the fourth session.
Two Long-Term Instrumental Climatic Data bases of the People's Republic of China
Two long-term instrumental databases
The Global Carbon Cycle
A brochure explaining the likely dynamics of the carbon-climate-human system with projections for the future, and recommendations for points of intervention and windows of opportunity for human societies to manage this system.
The United States National Report on Systematic Observations for Climate for 2008: National Activities with Respect to the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Implementation Plan
Long-term, high-accuracy, stable environmental observations are essential to define the state of the global integrated Earth system, its history and its future variability and change. Observations for climate include: (1) operational weather observations, when appropriate care has been exercised to establish high accuracy; (2) limited-duration observations collected as part of research investigations to elucidate chemical, dynamical, biological, or radiative processes that contribute to maintaining climate patterns or to their variability; (3) high accuracy, high precision observations to document decadal-to-centennial changes; and (4) observations of climate proxies, collected to extend the instrumental climate record to remote regions and back in time to provide information on climate change at millennial and longer time scales. This report was requested by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in order to serve as input to see how progress has been made with respect to the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Implementation Plan developed in 2004 In accordance with the UNFCCC guidelines, the sections of the report delineate specific U.S. climate monitoring activities in several distinct yet integrated areas as follows: (1) common issues; (2) non-satellite atmospheric observations; (3) non-satellite oceanic observations; (4) non-satellite terrestrial observations; (5) satellite global atmospheric, oceanic, and terrestrial observations; and (6) data and information management related to systematic observations. The various federal agencies involved in observing the environment provide the required long-term observations. Space-based systems provide unique global measurements of solar output, the Earth's radiation budget; vegetation type and primary production; land surface conditions; ocean and terrestrial biomass primary productivity; tropospheric and stratospheric ozone; tropospheric and stratospheric water vapor; tropospheric aerosols; greenhouse gas distributions; sea level; ocean surface conditions and winds; weather; and tropical precipitation, among others.
WIREC 2008 Ministerial Bulletin: A summary report of the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference 2008
The Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008) convened from 4-6 March 2008, at the Washington, DC Convention Center in the US. WIREC 2008 consisted of a Ministerial Meeting, a business conference, a trade show exhibition and side events. More than 3000 participants from 118 countries registered for the Ministerial Meeting, including approximately 100 ministerial representatives. This Bulletin reports on the Ministerial Meeting events.
Weather and Highways: Report of a Policy Forum
This report of a policy forum on "Weather and Highways" presents recommendations that, if implemented, could offer considerable benefits to the safety of the nation's traveling public and the national economy by supporting the effective application of weather information services to the operation of our road systems. The AMS Atmospheric Policy Program developed this forum to address the issues connected with effective use of road weather information. The participants included nearly 100 public, private, and academic representatives of weather information providers; transportation managers and users; and policy makers knowledgeable about the nation's highway system.
Selected Translated Abstracts of Chinese-Language Climate Change Publications
This report contains English-translated abstracts of important Chinese-language literature concerning global climate change for the years 1995-1998. This body of abstracts includes the topics of adaption, ancient climate change, climate variation, the East Asia monsoon, historical climate change, impacts, modeling, and radiation, and trace gas emission. In addition to the bibliographic citations and abstracts translated into English, this report presents the original citations and abstracts in Chinese. Author and title index are included to assist the reader in locating abstracts of particular interest.
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?
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