13 February 2007

U.S., EU Expanding Cooperation on Environmental Research

New agreement calls for closer collaboration on common challenges

 

A chemist compares filters used to collect fine air particulate pollution in an effort to increase clean air standards. (© AP Images)

Washington – An implementing arrangement intended to expand cooperation between the United States and the European Commission (EC) on environmental research was signed February 9 in Brussels, Belgium, by the EC’s director-general for research, Manuel Silva Rodriguez.

The instrument, which had been signed January 31 in Washington by Stephen Johnson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), helps implement a 1998 agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the United States and the European Union. The EC is the EU’s executive body.

“The United States and Europe share in the commitment of being good global neighbors,” said EPA’s Johnson. “This agreement marks a new level of collaboration which will ensure our efforts to protect the environment and our citizens are supported by sound science.” (See related article.)

In addition to cooperation on environmental research generally, the implementation arrangement specifically calls for collaboration in the emerging field of ecoinformatics -- the development of advanced computer technology to support environmental research.

Other collaborative research topics include potential applications of nanotechnology to environmental monitoring and remediation, examination of links between pollution and human health, and environmental modeling. Areas of interest listed in the document include:

• Environmental and sustainability indicators,

• Analysis of uncertainty in environmental models,

• Sustainable chemistry and materials, and

• Air quality management and control of mobile-source emissions.

The expanded U.S.-EU cooperation will take a variety of forms, according to the arrangement. In addition to direct collaboration, the arrangement envisions joint sponsorship of conferences and workshops, coordinated calls for research proposals and peer reviews, and open exchanges of data and methodologies.

A steering group, on which “a limited and to the extent possible equal number of official representatives” of the United States and the European Union will serve, will be coordinated by the EPA and the EC Research Directorate General. One of the key activities of the steering group will be to encourage “the broadest possible participation” of researchers from the United States and Europe.

International engagement is a key component to protecting human health and the environment in the United States, according to the EPA. “In assisting developing countries to manage their natural resources and protect the health of their citizens, we help ensure our own well-being,” the agency states on its Web site. “In collaborating with other countries and with multilateral organizations to solve environmental problems, we leverage valuable financial and human resources and work more efficiently to protect the global commons.”

In addition to collaboration with the EU, as outlined in the implementing arrangement, the United States is engaged in bilateral and multilateral programs with nations throughout the world to help develop effective environmental programs and advance global environmental priorities. (See related article.)

The full text of the implementing arrangement is available on the EPA Web site, as is additional information on the United States’ efforts to engage other nations in protecting the environment.

For more information on U.S. policy, see Environment.