NSF PR 00-4 - February 4, 2000
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National Science Board Recommends $1 Billion Increase
in Environmental Research Spending
The National Science Board (NSB) has adopted a report
recommending that the National Science Foundation
(NSF) spend an additional $1 billion over the next
five years to increase its support for environmental
research and education.
Meeting in Irvine Calif., the Board unanimously approved
the report of its Task Force on the Environment, which
contains a series of recommendations for bolstering
what the board describes as NSF's strong existing
portfolio of environmental research and education
programs.
Noting that NSF "is one of the largest supporters of
environmental research in the federal government and
the major supporter of environmental research conducted
by the academic community," the report calls for more
than doubling NSF's current funding level of roughly
$600 million annually on environmental research to
$1.6 billion.
"This report reflects the NSB's strong support of the
role NSF is already playing in environmental research
-- but also a desire to see that role grow," said
NSB chair Eamon Kelly. "There is no more important
national issue than this. We are on the verge of profound
discoveries, and NSF leadership is needed to direct
these discoveries for the good of the nation."
NSF Director Rita Colwell emphasized that an investment
in environmental research "is necessary to gain a
better understanding of the complexities of the world
we live in, and the intricate workings of nature,
in order to make wise use of our resources."
The report notes that NSF's activities should neither
duplicate or replace, but rather complement and enhance,
the existing portfolio of federal environmental research
programs.
The report recommendations address research, environmental
education, scientific assessment, and infrastructure.
For example, the Board also recommends that NSF:
- significantly increase its investments in long-term
research programs and establish new support mechanisms
for additional long term research;
- encourage proposals that capitalize on student
interest in environmental areas while supporting
significantly more environmental education efforts
through informal vehicles;
- significantly increase its research on the methods
and models used in scientific assessment;
- give high priority to enhancing infrastructure
for environmental observations and collections
as well as new information networking capacity;
and
- "vigorously" support research on environmental
technologies, including those that can help both
the public and private sectors wisely utilize
natural resources;
For a copy of the report, Environmental Science
and Engineering for the 21st Century, see: http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/tfe/start.htm
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