Commerce Secretary Evans Announces Interagency Climate Change Efforts

Washington, DC - U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Don Evans today announced a variety of efforts aimed at improving interagency coordination and identifying high-priority science to address climate change.

"On June 11, President Bush directed me to work with other agencies to set priorities for additional investments in climate change research and review such investments," Secretary Evans said. "I am pleased today to announce our response to that directive. These efforts are just the beginning as we begin to work on other long-term responses."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is part of the Department of Commerce, is coordinating may of the interagency efforts.

"NOAA has been tasked with doing the climate change work that has been identified by the President and in the National Academy of Sciences report," said David L. Evans, NOAA Assistant Administrator of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. "We will also work to promote interagency cooperation as we comply with that charge."

One such effort promotes cooperation within the Western Hemisphere, as requested by the President.

"NOAA and the National Science Foundation, will bring together more than 100 scientists from the United States, Mexico and South America to conduct a month-long experiment that will produce a better understanding of how certain clouds, precipitation, and cool ocean temperatures work together," Dave Evans said.

The experiment - the Eastern Pacific Investigation of Climate (EPIC) - will use two ships, two airplanes, and eight miniature robotic aircraft to collect data off the coast of South America in September.

Building on a working relationship with NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J. and the Earth Simulator of the Japanese Frontier Project, the United States and Japan have agreed to initiate a dialogue designed to intensify scientific cooperation in the area of climate change modeling.

Other efforts include a three-year investment of more than $120 million by NASA for the following areas: � Carbon Cycle: NASA is selecting 80 new projects that will cost more than $50 million over the next three years to conduct remote-sensing-oriented research on how carbon cycles influence climate change. � Water & Energy Cycle: NASA is investing $20 million over three years to improve our understanding of the global cycle of water and energy, especially the roles that clouds and water vapor play in climate change. � Chemistry-Climate Connection: NASA is investing $11 million to help determine whether aerosols (particles in the air) have a net warming or cooling effect and whether climate change will hamper the recovery of the ozone hole. � Computional Modeling: NASA will help develop computer models to improve climate simulation and help form a framework for more effective collaboration among scientists. NASA will invest $10 million over three years in this effort.

"These efforts will help advance the science and better our understanding of how these complex systems work,"Secretary Evans said. "It is critical that we try to learn what the effect of natural variations have on climate change, how future climate change could affect us, and how human activities affect the climate system."