1

TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 12827

ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION 

GLOBE Program

Agreement Between the 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

and FIJI

Signed at Suva January 28, 1997

with 

Appendices
2

NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Pursuant to Public Law 89–497, approved July 8, 

1966 (80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)—

‘‘. . . the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued 

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent 

evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than 

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and 

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of 

maritime jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices 

of the United States, and of the several States, without any further proof or authentication thereof.’’

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 

Washington, D.C. 20402
1

(1) TIAS 12827

FIJI 

Environmental Cooperation: GLOBE Program 

Agreement signed at Suva January 28, 1997; 

Entered into force January 28, 1997. 

With appendices.
2

TIAS 12827

Agreement between 

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

of the United States of America and 

the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Fiji 

for Cooperation in 

the GLOBE Program

PREAMBLE 

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, acting on behalf of 

itself and other U.S. Government agencies participating in the GLOBE Program 

(hereinafter, the U.S. side), and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Fiji 

(hereinafter, the Fijian side),

Intending to increase the awareness of students throughout the world about the 

global environment,

Seeking to contribute to increased scientific understanding of the Earth, and

Desiring to support improved student achievement in science and mathematics, 

Have agreed to cooperate in the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit 

the Environment (GLOBE) Program as follows:

ARTICLE 1 - THE GLOBE PROGRAM 

The GLOBE Program is an international environmental science and education 

program that brings students, teachers, and scientists together to study the global 

environment. GLOBE has created an international network of students at primary, middle and secondary school levels studying environmental issues, making 

environmental measurements, and sharing useful environmental data with one 

another and the international science community.
3

TIAS 12827

ARTICLE 2 - RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES 

A. The U.S. side will: 

1. Identify U.S. schools that will participate in the GLOBE Program 

(details regarding GLOBE schools in Appendix A); 

2. Select, in consultation with international scientists and educators, the 

GLOBE environmental measurements and types of measurement equipment (described in Appendix B); 

3. Select Principal Investigator Teams for the GLOBE environmental 

measurements, and support the U.S. members of the Teams; 

4. Develop, in consultation with international scientists and educators, 

GLOBE educational materials; 

5. Translate GLOBE instructional materials related to measurement procedures and data reporting protocols into the six United Nations languages, and provide a copy of these plus all broader GLOBE educational materials to the Fijian side for further reproduction as necessary; 

6. Conduct regional training sessions for GLOBE Country Coordinators 

and GLOBE teachers who will serve as trainers for additional GLOBE 

teachers in Fiji; 

7. Design, develop, operate, and maintain GLOBE data processing 

capabilities and other necessary technology and equipment; 

8. Provide GLOBE software, as necessary, for use on Fijian GLOBE 

school computers (To the extent possible, textual material appearing on 

computer screens will be accessible in the student’s choice among the 

six United Nations languages.); 

9. Accept environmental data reported from GLOBE schools around the 

world, and develop and provide resultant global environmental images 

to the Fijian side; and 

10. Evaluate the overall GLOBE Program periodically, in consultation with 

international GLOBE Country Coordinators, and modify the overall 

program as appropriate. 

B. The Fijian side will: 

1. Identify Fijian schools that will participate in the GLOBE Program 

(details regarding GLOBE schools in Appendix A) and provide an 
4

TIAS 12827

updated list of Fijian GLOBE schools to the U.S. side at the beginning 

of each school year; 

2. Ensure that Fijian GLOBE schools conduct the fundamental activities 

of GLOBE schools detailed in Appendix A (take GLOBE environmental measurements, report data, and receive and use resultant global 

environmental images, using GLOBE educational materials under the 

guidance of teachers trained to conduct the GLOBE Program); 

3. Name a Fijian Government Point of Contact responsible for policylevel communications with the Director of the GLOBE Program; 

4. Name a Country Coordinator responsible for day-to-day management, 

oversight, and facilitation of the GLOBE Program in Fiji; 

5. Ensure that the Country Coordinator and some GLOBE teachers attend 

GLOBE regional training and in turn provide GLOBE training to at 

least one teacher in each Fijian GLOBE school; 

6. Ensure that GLOBE instructional materials related to measurement 

procedures and data reporting protocols are utilized in Fijian GLOBE 

schools, and that broader GLOBE educational materials are appropriately translated, adapted, reproduced, and distributed to all Fijian 

GLOBE schools; 

7. Ensure that the measurement equipment used by GLOBE schools to 

take GLOBE environmental measurements meets GLOBE specifications (described in Appendix B); 

8. Ensure that teachers and students at Fijian GLOBE schools calibrate 

GLOBE measurement equipment according to procedures provided in 

GLOBE instructional materials; 

9. Ensure that Fijian GLOBE schools have the necessary computer and 

communications systems to allow Internet/World Wide Web access in 

order to report GLOBE environmental measurements and to receive 

and use GLOBE environmental images; if such computer and communications systems are not available in Fijian schools, make agreed alternative arrangements for such reporting and receipt (At a minimum, the 

Fijian Country Coordinator will need access to the Internet so that all 

measurement data from Fijian GLOBE schools will be reported via 

Internet.); and 

10. Evaluate GLOBE operations in Fiji periodically and assist the U.S. side 

in conducting periodic evaluation of the overall GLOBE Program.
5

TIAS 12827

ARTICLE 3 - FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS 

Each side will bear the costs of fulfilling its respective responsibilities under this 

agreement. Obligations of each side pursuant to this agreement are subject to its 

respective funding procedures and the availability of appropriated funds, personnel, and other resources. The conduct of activities under this agreement will 

be consistent with the relevant laws and regulations of the two sides.

ARTICLE 4 - EXCHANGE OF DATA AND GOODS 

GLOBE environmental measurement data, global environmental images, software, and educational materials will be available worldwide without restriction 

as to their use or redistribution.

ARTICLE 5 - RELEASE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE GLOBE PROGRAM 

Each side may release information on the GLOBE Program as it may deem 

appropriate without prior consultation with the other.

ARTICLE 6 - CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION 

Each side will, to the extent permitted by its laws and regulations, facilitate the 

movement of persons and goods necessary to implement this agreement into and 

out of its territory and accord entry to such goods into its territory free of customs duties and other similar charges.

ARTICLE 7 - DURATION 

This agreement will enter into force upon signature of the two sides and will 

remain in force for five years. It will be automatically extended for further fiveyear periods, unless either side decides to terminate it and so notifies the other 

side with three months written notice. This agreement may be terminated at any 

time by either side upon three months prior written notice to the other side. This 

agreement may be amended by written agreement of the two sides.

Done at Suva, Fiji on the 28th day of January, 1997, in duplicate.

For the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration: 

For the Ministry of Education:

[Signature] [Signature] 
6

TIAS 12827

APPENDIX A 

GLOBE Schools 

Each partner country is responsible for identifying its participating schools. 

Schools should be selected so as to satisfy the objectives of the GLOBE Program. In particular, countries should emphasize the selection of schools that will 

maximize the number and geographic distribution of students worldwide participating in the program. Also, countries should consider involving schools in locations that will yield measurement data that is important to the international 

science community.

Students at all GLOBE schools throughout the world conduct the following fundamental activities: they make environmental measurements at or near their 

schools; report their data to a GLOBE data processing site; receive vivid graphical global environmental images created from their data and the data from other 

GLOBE schools around the world; and study the environment by relating their 

observations and the resulting images to broader environmental topics. All of 

these activities are conducted under the guidance of specially trained teachers 

(GLOBE-trained teachers).

GLOBE educational materials are used in GLOBE schools under the guidance 

of GLOBE-trained teachers. These materials contain instructional materials 

detailing procedures for taking environmental measurements and protocols for 

reporting data; they also explain the significance of the measurements, guide the 

use of the global environmental images, and integrate the measurement aspects 

of the program into a broader study of the environment.
7

TIAS 12827

APPENDIX B 

GLOBE Environmental Measurements and Equipment 

GLOBE environmental measurements contribute in a significant way to the scientific understanding of the dynamics of the global environment. Every GLOBE 

school is encouraged to conduct the core set of GLOBE environmental measurements in the following critical areas: Atmosphere/Climate, Hydrology, Land 

Cover/Biology and Soils. As the GLOBE Program evolves, specialized measurements not common to all GLOBE schools may be added in order to address local 

environmental issues.

Students at all skill levels are active participants in the GLOBE Program. The 

actual participation is designed so as to be appropriate for primary, middle and 

secondary school levels. Younger students make limited measurements which 

may be qualitative rather than quantitative. Older students make additional 

measurements and more sophisticated measurements, as appropriate for their skill 

level. Measurement equipment is not standardized; rather, functional and 

performance specifications are provided for GLOBE instruments.

Following is the list of GLOBE core measurements and equipment. This list has 

been developed and will be periodically updated as provided in Article 2.A.2, 

based on experience gained in implementing the GLOBE Program.
8

TIAS 12827

MEASUREMENTS EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Atmosphere/Climate: 

Air Temperature Max/Min Thermometer 

Calibration Thermometer 

Instrument Shelter 

Precipitation Rain Gauge 

Cloud Cover/Type Cloud Charts

Hydrology: 

Water pH pH Paper, Pen, or Meter 

Water Temperature Organic Liquid-Filled Thermometer 

Dissolved Oxygen Dissolved Oxygen Kit 

Alkalinity Water Alkalinity Kit 

Electrical Conductivity Electrode-Type Conductivity Tester

Land Cover/Biology: 

Land Cover Remote Sensing Image 

Multispec Software 

Species Identification Dichotomous Keys 

Biometry Measuring Tape 

Clinometer (Optional) 

Densiometer (Optional)

Soils: 

Soil Moisture Soil Sample Cans 

Augur 

Soil Moisture Meter (Optional) 

Gypsum Blocks (Optional) 

Soil Characterization Color Chart 

Graduated Cylinders 

Augur (Optional)
9

TIAS 12827

APPENDIX C 

GLOBE Computer and Communications Systems 

In order to derive maximum benefit from the GLOBE Program, all schools are 

encouraged to use the Internet, along with classroom computers. The Internet/

World Wide Web multi-media information-access capability has been selected to 

support the required GLOBE school activities of data entry, data analysis, and 

use of global environmental images.

The diversity of technology accessible by schools worldwide may require, in 

some cases, that environmental measurements be reported via e-mail or in 

hardcopy and that a variety of media, including e-mail and hardcopy, be used 

to distribute global environmental images. All schools that want to participate in 

the program will be accommodated.

Technology associated with the GLOBE Program will continually evolve to 

higher levels and participants will be encouraged to upgrade over time.