New Orleans,
Louisiana, United States, January 22, 2008
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) and Environment Canada yesterday
signed a cross-border agreement to enhance
weather and climate monitoring and research.
"With this agreement,
NOAA and Environment Canada can broaden
our collaboration to enhance health, safety
and economic prosperity for our countries
and the world," said retired Navy Vice
Adm. Conrad Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary
of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and
NOAA administrator. "Although our organizations
have engaged in a successful relationship
for decades, we now have a framework that
allows us to explore new opportunities."
The Memorandum of Understanding
establishes a formal link between the two
organizations, as well as a standing committee
with representatives from both countries
that will meet regularly to collaborate
on cross-border projects.
"International
partnerships like this between meteorological
services is key to advancing the quality
of our weather and environmental forecasting
services protecting citizens' health and
property," said Mark Warawa, Parliamentary
Secretary to Canada's Environment Minister
John Baird. "This agreement is another
important milestone in our efforts to understand
and combat climate change."
Environment Canada is
responsible to preserve and enhance the
quality of the natural environment, conserve
Canada's renewable and water resources,
forecast weather and environmental change
and coordinate environmental policies and
programs for the Government of Canada. Environment
Canada works with international partners
to maintain and improve Canada's environment
and contributes to global efforts on shared
issues such as weather forecasting and prediction.
The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, an agency
of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated
to enhancing economic security and national
safety through the prediction and research
of weather and climate-related events and
information service delivery for transportation,
and by providing environmental stewardship
of our nation's coastal and marine resources.
Through the emerging Global Earth Observation
System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working
with its federal partners, more than 70
countries and the European Commission to
develop a global monitoring network that
is as integrated as the planet it observes,
predicts and protects.
