The European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have signed today an agreement in Brussels to encourage, develop and facilitate scientific and cooperative activities in the fields of climate, weather, oceans and coasts. Jane Lubchenco, United States Under Secretary of Commerce for oceans & atmosphere and NOAA administrator, and Dominique Ristori, JRC Director General, signed the agreement in the presence of high level representatives from both administrations, including William E. Kennard, US Ambassador to the EU.
"Today's global challenges must be met by increased international cooperation that addresses climate, weather, oceans and coasts – issues that impact everyone in the world" NOAA Administrator, Jane Lubchenco, said. "I am delighted NOAA and the Joint Research Centre are taking this important step to increase our cooperation on science".
JRC Director General, Dominique Ristori, added: "We are pleased to announce that we have already identified four specific projects for near term implementation between NOAA and the JRC. These projects will collaborate on climate data records, space weather, tsunami modelling and fisheries research. This underscores the rich potential for sharing science and innovation".
Training, exchanges of personnel, shared use of the scientific infrastructure, support for joint research, access to laboratory facilities, timely exchange of information and the promotion of the relevant calls for grants or proposals are some of the activities included in the agreement.
JRC/NOAA cooperation
The European Commission (through the Joint Research Centre, JRC) and NOAA have been working together for more than 20 years in the fields of climate change, marine environment and modelling. They have, for instance, collaborated on the development of near real time tsunami forecasting methods for early warning and a methodology to assess global warming induced changes. Space weather is a more recent but increasingly important topic of cooperation.
The JRC is the in-house science service of the European Commission and its mission is to provide EU policies with independent, evidence-based scientific and technical support through the whole policy cycle.
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, oceans and coasts; to share that knowledge and information with others and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources.
European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC): http://www.jrc.ec.europa.eu
US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): http://www.noaa.gov/