§2952 International discussions

Summary

The President should tell the Secretary of State, working with the Committee, to start talks with other countries to make international agreements that coordinate research on global change. The talks must cover who pays for big projects; how to match U.S. plans with those of bodies like the International Council on Scientific Unions, the World Meteorological Organization, and the United Nations Environment Program; creating research centers and training for scientists, especially from developing countries; trying new ways to manage and fund international research (including using existing intergovernmental groups or a small dedicated foundation); quick projects to make data formats everyone can use and to combine and explain data so policymakers can act; and setting up offices to share information on spotting, preventing, lessening, or adapting to possible effects of global change. The President should also tell the Secretary of State, along with the Secretaries of Energy and Commerce, the U.S. Trade Representative, and others, to begin talks on an international research agreement for energy technologies that have as little harm to the environment as possible. These talks should include creating cooperative programs to fund research on energy efficiency, solar and other renewables, and nuclear reactors designed to be passively safe and hard to misuse; programs to develop low-cost energy technologies suited to developing countries; and sharing information about safe energy technologies and practices.