U.S. and Brazil Will Cooperate on Climate Change

WASHINGTON, DC, May 24, 2004 (ENS) - The United States and Brazil have announced their intention to improve scientific and technological cooperation in order to address global climate change.

A joint statement by the two countries released Friday by the State Department says the U.S.-Brazil Workshop on Cooperation in Climate Science and Technology, held in São José dos Campos, Brazil May 18-20, was "the initial step in identifying joint projects of mutual interest."

The joint statement said the two delegations discussed ways to further improve cooperation in "climate science and modeling; energy and technology; land use, land use change, forestry, and agriculture; emissions inventories and modeling; and impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change."

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said that during the workshop, experts and officials from both countries discussed ways to further improve scientific and technological cooperation in such areas as: climate science and modeling; energy and technology; land use, land use change, forestry, and agriculture; emissions inventories and modeling; and impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change.

Brazil reiterated its commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, its entry into force and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities of Parties in addressing climate change.

A developing country that is not governed by the current Kyoto target emissions limits, Brazilian negotiators said the country is "prepared to explore all possibilities" for meeting the challenges of sustainable development posed by climate change.

The United States reaffirmed its commitment to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and to practical cooperation with other countries to address climate change.

Dr. Harlan Watson, senior climate negotiator and special representative of the U.S. Department of State, and Minister Everton Vieira Vargas, director of theDepartment of Environment and Special Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, led the Workshop, which included senior and technical officials of both countries.