# Presentation: 316858

## #1. Setting Priorities. The Plan needs to address better this very challenging task. In order to set priorities, there needs to be an overarching strategy. In addition, priorities are budget sensitive, and therefore there needs to be at least a budget envelope for the out-years and some budget assumptions for Years 2-4 since priorities through different levels of effort need to be set here as well.

_**#1.**__ __**Setting Priorities**__._ The Plan needs to address better this very challenging task. In order to set priorities, there needs to be an **overarching** strategy. In addition, priorities are budget sensitive, and therefore there needs to be at least a budget envelope for the out-years and some budget assumptions for Years 2-4 since priorities through different levels of effort need to be set here as well.
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_**Suggestion:**_** **Consider establishing a Senior Task Force that would clarify the overall strategy, particularly for Part II, and therein set priorities across the plan.

## #2. To make a Plan. This document is not yet a strategic Plan, but rather it (particularly Part II) is a status report with some prognostic or forward-looking statements. The document is an important step towards a Plan. An additional issue is: when will the Implementation Plan(s) appear?

_**Suggestion:**_ Consider connecting “Research Needs” to “Products and Payoffs” with text that addresses implementation actions.  More generally, a more uniform style needs to be followed that speaks to planning issues (e.g. how and when).

## #3. Resources and Technology. Given the importance and challenges of:

- a) ** **stabilizing GHG concentrations**, **and hence issues of processes controlling sources and sinks, carbon sequestration, energy policies, and
- b)  stabilizing GHG concentrations at levels that avoid damaging impacts, and hence the issues of climate sensitivity, feedbacks, mitigation, and vulnerability,
**the CCRI is not resource neutral nor is it disconnected from CCTI.**

_**Suggestion:**_ There needs to be a dialogue between priority setting and budget setting, and the broad results of this dialogue need, to be reflected in the Plan. There needs to be improved connectivity to CCTI—Is there a similar document/process for CCTI?

## #4. International Cooperation. The Plan is by definition a U.S. Plan, but this has led to an overly U.S.-centric view. This is particularly true in the areas of observations, climate data systems, and large-scale modeling experiments. 

_**Suggestion:**_ The Plan should give greater recognition to the international dimension and the international benefits of expanded cooperation throughout and  summarized in Chapter 14.

## #5. Management Integration. Managing the Interface between GCRP and CCRI needs further elaboration. For example, is CCRI continuing beyond 4 years?

_**Suggestion:**_ The Plan needs to address more clearly the budgetary and programmatic linkages between the near-term focused CCRI, and the broader and longer-term focused GCRP across a 10-year horizon.

## #6. Linking CCRI and GCRP. The 2-4 year time horizon of CCRI, if overly enthusiastically employed, could be counter-productive.  Fortunately, the CCRI accepts  “Initiatives” that begin within the 2-4 year timeframe but may pay off later (e.g., key technological initiatives to establish the foundation for measurement of carbon dioxide remotely). However, it is not clear exactly how “Initiatives” from CCRI are built upon in GCRP. 

_**Suggestion:**_ Part I of the Plan needs to be connected better to Part II.

## #7. Climate Data. While there are obvious connections between weather and climate, Climate Observations and Climate Data Systems have different requirements. The Plan recognizes these differences, but there is a danger that these differences will not be adequately recognized.  This issue takes on practical importance in the context of a “Climate Service” that would be analogous to the Weather Service. 

_**Suggestion:**_ The Plan should more forcefully address climate-quality observations and data systems, while still seeking strategies that exploit weather-climate synergies.

## #8. Moving Forward. The Plan and this meeting are remarkable achievements in themselves, and are  evidence of an extraordinarily strong and robust relationship between the governmental, academic, industrial, and NGO communities. 

_**Suggestion:**_ We should thank Jim Mahoney and his colleagues on a job well done, and agree now that we will help in every appropriate manner to complete the very difficult tasks ahead.