    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [July 13, 2001]
    [Pages 847-848]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Climate Change Review Initiatives
    July 13, 2001

        Last month I announced the fundamental principles to guide a
    scientifically sound and effective global effort to reduce the buildup
    of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As I said then, my
    administration's climate change policy will be science-based, encourage
    research breakthroughs that lead to technological innovation, and take
    advantage of the power of markets. It will encourage global
    participation and will pursue actions that will help ensure continued
    economic growth and prosperity for our citizens and for citizens
    throughout the world.
        Today I am pleased to report on specific initiatives that have been
    advanced in the past month by my Cabinet-level Climate Change Working
    Group. These initiatives represent important steps in putting our
    principles to work through partnerships with other nations, industry,
    and nongovernmental organizations. They are designed to increase our
    scientific understanding of climate change, to tap the enormous promise
    of technology in addressing greenhouse gas emissions, and to promote
    further cooperation on climate change with our partners in the Western
    Hemisphere and beyond.
        To advance the science of climate change, the Secretary of Commerce
    has convened an interagency work group charged with developing a Federal
    research plan that will prove vital to increasing our understanding of
    the dimensions and dynamics of climate change. Prominently, NASA will
    invest over $120 million in the next 3 years in research on the natural
    carbon cycle, climate modeling, and the link between atmospheric
    chemistry and climate to help reduce uncertainties in the science
    highlighted by the recent National Academy of Sciences report requested
    by my Cabinet-level working group.
        To advance technological innovation, the Department of Energy has
    just signed agreements to begin two significant new projects to study
    carbon sequestration. The

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    first agreement is with the Nature Conservancy, the world's largest
    private international conservation group, to study land use and forestry
    practices for storing carbon more effectively in Brazil and Belize. The
    second is with an international team of energy companies--BP-Amoco,
    Shell, Chevron, Texaco, Pan Canadian (Canada), Suncor Energy (Canada),
    ENI (Italy), Statoil Forskningssenter (Norway), and Norsk Hydro
    (Norway)--to develop a new set of technologies for reducing the cost of
    capturing carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion plants. Grants for
    six other sequestration research projects have also been awarded under
    this $25 million initiative that leverages an additional $50 million
    from the private sector and foreign governments.
        To further cooperation in the Western Hemisphere and beyond on
    climate change, the Department of Treasury yesterday entered into a $14
    million ``debt for forest'' agreement with the Government of El Salvador
    under the Tropical Forest Conservation Act. By funding tropical forest
    conservation in that country, the agreement will secure important
    benefits of carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation.
        Fostering further scientific cooperation on climate change among
    nations in our hemisphere, the Department of Commerce is bringing
    together more than 100 scientists from the United States, Mexico, and
    South America to study the regional impacts of climate change, another
    important area of uncertainty highlighted by the National Academy of
    Sciences study.
        My Environmental Protection Agency Administrator also met with the
    Canadian and Mexican Environment Ministers on June 29 and pledged to
    jointly consider ``market-based approaches for carbon sequestration,
    energy efficiency, and renewable energy in North America.'' Today the
    United States will host a meeting with the Japanese Environment Minister
    at which they will focus on opportunities for bilateral cooperation on
    climate change, including enhanced, joint climate modeling research.
        Finally, in keeping with my commitment to engage internationally,
    the United States has participated and will continue to participate
    constructively in international discussions on climate change, including
    in the upcoming Sixth Conference of the Parties to the Framework
    Convention on Climate Change (COP-6) that begins this Monday in Bonn,
    Germany.
        These initiatives illustrate the efforts my administration will
    continue to encourage strongly. These partnerships leverage resources to
    achieve tangible results. In many cases, their scope is international,
    reflecting the fact that both the problem and solutions for climate
    change extend beyond the borders of any one nation. And they represent
    the kind of investments in scientific and technological knowledge on
    which real progress on this long-term challenge must be based. I am
    pleased that those who are signing agreements with us or who have
    otherwise pledged to pursue joint research with our Government share our
    vision of enhancing our knowledge and making progress on this important
    issue.