Summary of President Bush’s Announcement of Climate Change Review Initiatives

The White House, Washington, DC – July 13, 2001

Advancing the Science through the U.S. Climate Change Research Initiative

The Secretary of Commerce is announcing today that NASA is undertaking research to address critical questions for policymakers -- e.g., the effect of natural climate fluctuations, the degree and impact of future climate change, and how human activities affect the climate system. NASA's investments will exceed $120 million over the next three years:

• Carbon Cycle: NASA is selecting 80 new projects that will receive more than $50 million to conduct remote sensing-oriented research on how carbon cycles through the Earth climate system. NASA's research will further our understanding of the role that "sinks" play in sequestering carbon and the impacts climate change has on agriculture, rangelands and forests.
• Water & Energy Cycle: NASA is investing $20 million to improve our understanding of the global cycle of water and energy, particularly the roles of clouds and water vapor in climate change.
• Chemistry-Climate Connection: NASA is investing $22 million to study whether aerosols have a net warming or cooling effect, and whether climate change hampers recovery of the ozone layer.
• Computational Modeling: NASA will invest $10 million on computational modeling that will enable the improved simulation of a broad range of physical and biological climate systems.

Advancing Technology through the U.S. Climate Change Technology Initiative

President Bush directed the Secretaries of Energy and Commerce and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to improve climate change technology R&D, enhance basic research, strengthen applied research through public-private partnerships, develop improved technologies for measuring and monitoring gross and net greenhouse gas emissions, and support demonstration projects for cutting-edge technologies.

The Secretary of Energy commits $25 million to develop enhanced carbon sequestration technologies.

• The Nature Conservancy Project: The Department of Energy will work with The Nature Conservancy, General Motors Corp. and American Electric Power to study how carbon dioxide can be stored more effectively by changing land use practices and investing in forestry projects.
• International Team of Energy Companies: The Department of Energy will invest $5 million to work with nine energy companies to develop breakthrough technologies to reduce the cost of capturing carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion and safely storing it underground. The nine energy companies are: BP-Amoco, Shell, Chevron, Texaco, Pan Canadian (Canada), Suncor Energy (Canada), ENI (Italy), Statoil Forskningssenter (Norway), and Norsk Hydro ASA (Norway).

Promoting Cooperation in the Western Hemisphere

President Bush directed the Secretary of State to consult with nations throughout the world to identify areas for enhanced cooperation. The President is announcing the:

• Debt-for-Forest Swap with El Salvador: On July 12, 2001, the United States through the Department of the Treasury signed an agreement with El Salvador to generate over $14 million in funds to conserve tropical forests.
• Climate Change Cooperation in North America: On June 29, 2001 the environment ministers of U.S., Canada and Mexico pledged "to explore further opportunities for market-based approaches for carbon sequestration, energy efficiency and renewable energy in North America."
• Scientific Cooperation in North America: The Department of Commerce is bringing together more than 100 scientists from the United States, Mexico and South America to conduct a month-long experiment based out of Hualtulco, Mexico that will produce a better understanding of the interaction of stratus clouds, precipitation, and cool ocean surface temperatures and how they interact with each other.