Science Program Director Lauds
NRC Study Plan Review
Press release from the U.S. Climate Change Science Program
dtd 27 February 2003

Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Director James R. Mahoney today expressed his "deep gratification and appreciation" for a newly released National Research Council report on CCSP's discussion-draft U.S. Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan.

"These recommendations will fortify and strengthen the long-term climate science research program outlined in our discussion draft," Mahoney said. "The recommendations will further enrich what the National Research Council describes in its report as CCSP's �solid foundation' for better understanding how the climate system might be changing and how those changes may affect human society and natural systems."

Mahoney noted that the NRC recommendations complement input provided by experts nationwide as part of CCSP's commitment to a highly open process of public and expert participation in the understanding of climate change issues and response strategies.

"In this important respect, our fall 2002 discussion-draft has served its purpose in stimulating thoughtful and constructive input not only from the National Research Council but from hundreds of individual and institutional commenters," Mahoney said. "Together, this unparalleled public and expert input helps light the way to better understanding what clearly is the capstone environmental issue for our generation."

After a public workshop held in Washington, D.C., in December and involving more than 1,300 climate experts worldwide, CCSP has received more than 270 sets of comments, recommendations and suggestions. Emphasizing the value of this transparent scientific review process, Mahoney said the input from the NRC report and from those comments will be reflected in a study plan to be released later this spring.

"CCSP hears the clear call for honing research priorities to best meet the needs of national, regional, and local decision makers and critical users of climate information," Mahoney said. "Our commitment to achieving that goal is only strengthened by the National Research Council's also seeing it as a key area for further emphasis and clarity."

The Climate Change Science Program is a cooperative effort involving 13 governmental science agencies. It is charged with overseeing the science projects for the Congressionally mandated U.S. Global Climate Research Program and the White House-sponsored Climate Change Research Initiative. For more information, please visit www.climatescience.gov.