U.S. Country
Studies Program

A joint initiative of 10 U.S. government agencies, the U.S. Country Studies Program is assisting 55 developing countries and countries with economies in transition with climate change studies designed to build human and institutional capacity to address climate change. The program is also assisting 18 of these countries in using their study results to prepare national climate change action plans that will lay the foundation for their national communications required under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The primary objectives of the U.S. CSP are:

■To enhance the abilities of countries and regions to inventory their greenhouse gas emissions, assess their vulnerabilities to climate change, and evaluate strategies for mitigating emissions and adapting to the potential impacts of climate change.

■To enable countries to establish a process for developing and implementing policies and measures to miti gate and adapt to climate change, and for reexamining these policies and measures periodically.

■To develop information that can be used to further regional, national, and international discussions of climate change issues and increase support for the FCCC.

Achievements

Initiated a two rounds of support for national action plans to 18 countries (Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Kazakstan, Mexico, Micronesia, Philippines, Russian Federation, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Venezuela).

Published several handbooks on methodologies, and three synthesis reports (emission inventories, vulnerability and adaptation assessments, and country strategies) to document the results of the studies. ■Sponsored or co-sponsored more than 30 technical workshops to share methods, results, and country strategies.

Published handbooks and held training workshops on preparation of plans and technology assessments, and trained over 2,000 analysts in 70 countries.

■Sponsored more than 200 publications or data bases by the 55 countries.

Developed handbooks and synthesis reports that have made important contributions to the work of the Global Environment Facility, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and the Subsidiary Bodies to the Climate Convention, as well as other international organizations.

■ Helped 55 countries complete preliminary emission inventories, vulnerability and adaptation assessments, and mitigation assessments.

■Continues to complement programs implemented by other donors (eg, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Environment Program, the Global Environment Facility, and individual mem ber countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development).

Contact: Director, US. Country Studies Program, PO-6, 1000 Independence Ave. S W. Washington, DC 20585, 202-586-3288, Internet site at http://www gcrio org/csp/webpage html

The U.S. Initiative

on Joint Implementation

US INITIATIVE ON

JOINT IMPLEMENTATION

The U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation (USIJI) is a pilot program encouraging U.S. organizations to implement projects internationally that reduce, avoid, or sequester greenhouse gases. Since its launch in 1993, USIJI has become the largest effort worldwide to explore options for countries to jointly reduce greenhouse gases. Its international outreach activities and workshops (attended by several hundred potential participants from approximately 50 countries) have positively influenced international understanding of joint implementation and its broad acceptance by Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Other countries, including Canada and Japan, have announced pilot efforts similar to USIJI.

The goals of the USIJI program are to:

Promote technology cooperation with and sustainable development in developing and transition countries. ■Test and evaluate methods to measure, track, and verify emission reduction costs and benefits.

☐Encourage private-sector investment and innovation in developing and disseminating technologies to reduce or sequester greenhouse gas emissions.

Establish an empirical base for the formulation of international criteria for joint implementation.

Achievements

As of December, 1996, USIJI had received 61 proposals from 26 countries for projects that were designed to reduce, avoid, or sequester greenhouse gases, using a diverse set of technologies, including renewable, fuel-switching, energy-efficiency, methane-recovery, and sustainable land-use practices. Of these, the Evaluation Panel has approved 23 projects representing innovative technologies and practices in nine countries. The USIJI Secretariat streamlined the project review and acceptance procedures and has published draft guidelines for preparing USIJI proposals.

The USIJI Secretariat prepared a very detailed report to the Secretariat of the UNFCCC, which set a high standard for Annex I and non-Annex I parties under the All pilot phase.

The USIJI Secretariat established a technical assistance program to provide assistance to project participants in the areas of obtaining financing, developing monitoring and verification plans, and screening new projects for compatibility with project criteria.

Contacts: Director, USIJI Secretariat, PO-6, 1000 Independence Ave., S. W., Washington, DC. 20585, 202-586-3288, Information Line. 202-586-3467, Fax-on-Demand: 202-260-8677, Internet web site: http://www.ji.org

Aluminum Industry Partnership

Q12. On page 6 of your written testimony, you state:

“Aluminum Industry Partnership. EPA has forged agreements with
90% of the aluminum industry to reduce their emissions of
perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are potent greenhouse
gases, by 40-60% by 2000. With key technical support from EPA, the
companies are well on their way to meeting their commitments.

Q12.1 Please identify the members of the aluminum industry participating in the
Aluminum Partnership.

Q12.2 Please document the statement that “EPA has forged agreements with 90% of the aluminum industry to reduce their emissions of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases, by 40-60% by 2000."

A12.2 See Attachment, "Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership

and PFC Reduction Commitment."

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Membership

Q12.3 Please provide the level of EPA funding for the Aluminum Industry
Partnership in FY 1997 and FY 1998, and the amount requested for FY

In the FY 1999 budget proposal, the Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership is one component of the "Industry Initiatives" line item (see response to Question 29).

Q12.4 Please identify all recipients of the funds--by fiscal year and by amount
for each recipient--identified in the response to question 12.3 above.12.2
See attachment, "Voluntary Aluminum Industrial Partnership
Membership and PFC Reduction Commitment."

A12.4 EPA interprets this question to be based on the misconception that EPA provides financial assistance to partners in this program. EPA does not provide any funding to program participants. Instead, EPA uses its funding to disseminate reliable financial and technical information to program partners to assist them in making better decisions for investing their own money.

Metal Finishers Agreement

Q13. On page 6 of your written testimony, you state: “Metal Finishers Agreement. Through EPA's Common Sense Initiative, the metal finishing industry has committed to improving energy efficiency by 25% by the year 2002, while reducing other toxic chemicals."

Q13.1 Please identify the members of the metal finishing industry participating in the Metal Finishers Agreement.

A13.1 The Metal Finishing Strategic Goals Program (the "Agreement") was developed as part of the multi-stakeholder process of EPA's Common Sense Initiative. Many individuals from a wide variety of constituent groups B the metal finishing industry, metal finishing suppliers, state and local governments, organized labor, environmental and community groups B provided input in that process. The primary industry representatives in the process served as members of the Metal Finishing Subcommittee, the steering group for this CSI sector. These individuals endorsed the Goals Program as official representatives of the major national trade associations and constituent groups