THIS AGREEMENT is entered into by and between the Taipei Econom-
ic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (”T-
ECRO”) and the American Institute in Taiwan (”AIT”), with re-
spect to the development of the International Research Institute
for Climate Prediction (IRI).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, this Agreement between the TECRO and the AIT, (hereina-
fter referred to as the Parties) provides a framework through w-
hich the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) in Taiwan, the designated
representative of TECRO, and the National Oceanic and Atmospher-
ic Administration (NOAA), the designated representative of AIT,
can cooperate to develop the IRI;
WHEREAS, the IRI is being developed as a result of increasing s-
cientific understanding and skill in Observing, modeling, and a-
ssessing seasonal-to-interannual variations in climate, that ha-
ve advanced in the last decade under efforts such as the World
Climate Research Programs (WCRP) Tropical Oceans-Global Atmosph-
ere (TOGA) Program which has allowed better understanding and p-
rediction of E1 Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO);
WHEREAS, impacts resulting from seasonal-to-interannual climate
variations, such as ENSO, affect societies and economies worldw-
ide, influencing significantly elements such as water availabil-
ity, food security, and the spread of disease; and
WHEREAS, it is planned that the IRI will provide a scientific a-
nd institutional focus for a worldwide end-to-end program of cl-
imate prediction on seasonal-to-interannual time scales, toward
forming the core of an IRI network of prediction and applicatio-
ns research centers and programs.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties hereby agree as follows;
ARTICLE I-AUTHORIZATION
This Agreement is entered into pursuant to the Taiwan Relations
Act of April 10, 1979, Public Law 96-8 (22 USC 3301 et seq.)
The IRI has been initiated through a Cooperative Agreement on I-
RI (Award Number: NA67GPO299) (hereinafter referred to as the C-
ooperative Agreement) between NOAA, and Columbia University/ La-
mont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and the University of California
, San Diego/Scripps Institution of Oceanography as the universi-
ty host institutions (hereinafter referred to as the Hosts), wh-
ich is attached as Exhibit A. IRI facilities, and core activiti-
es undertaken at IRI facilities to further the objectives of the
IRI, presently located at the Hosts will be known as the Intern-
ational Research Institute for Climate Prediction (IRI)
ARTICLE II-OBJECTIVES
The IRI initiative comprises one component of an international
effort to develop a multilateral network of research, applicati-
ons, and operational centers designed to catalyze the internati-
onal scientific cormnunity in a coordinated research effort to
produce the best possible climate forecasts a season to a year
or two in advance and to provide forecast guidance products whi-
ch are socially and economically useful to societies vulnerable
to the impacts of climate variability.
A network of centers is envisioned, one of which, the IRI, would
function as the core of the network, that would centralize func-
tions associated with the regular production, dissemination, as-
sessment, and improvement of experimental forecast information.
The IRI will also promote research efforts designed to continua-
lly develop coupled models of the global atmosphere, ocean, and
land surface to serve as a basis for improved climate prediction
one season or one year or more in advance.
The IRI is being designed to address all dimensions of end-to-e-
nd prediction, including model and forecast system development,
experimental prediction, climate monitoring and dissemination,
applications research, and training, in the context of on-going
international climate research and applications activities.
The IRI is being developed with the objective of collectively u-
ndertaking a focused research program to generate climate infor-
mation products based on experimental seasonal-to-interannual c-
limate predictions and facilitate application of these products
to practical problems in affected regions because:
A.The creation, dissemination, application, and continuous impr-
ovement of the best available seasonal-to-interannual climate
forecasts up to one (1) year or more in advance will add to t-
he decision-making capabilities of afected populations and se-
ctors worldwide to prevent, adapt to, or to mitigate the impa-
cts of climate fluctuations and extreme climate events, which
will produce measurable economic benefits and will aid in sus-
tainable development;
B.The scientific and technical research carried out for these p-
urposes will enhance the capacity of scientists to understand
climate variability at seasonal-to-interannual time scales and
help translate their findings into usable information for soc-
iety;
C.There is a global need for world class research, assessments,
and information on seasonal-to-interannual climate fluctuatio-
ns, and especially for model intercomparison;
D.The IRI will contribute to the expansion of the pool of resea-
rchers investigating climate variability and forecast applica-
tions through professional development, education, and traini-
ng; and
F.The IRI will enhance the development of climate and ocean obs-
ervation and data management, data and information exchange,
process research, integrative modeling and climate prediction,
and climate impacts assessments and forecast applications, in
the context of on-going international, national, and regional
climate research and applications efforts.
The technical objectives of the cooperation are to:
A.Help assure that adequate scientific, financial, managerial,
human, and technical resources are effectively, efficiently,
and equitably pooled toward developing the IRI.
B.Continually develop and assess numerical models of the coupled
global atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, which will serve
as the basis for improved experimental climate prediction with
emphasis on seasonal-to-interannual time scales;
C.Systematically explore the predictability of climate anomalies
on time scales from months out to a few years;
D.Receive, analyze and archive relevant atmospheric and oceanic
data required to produce experimental forecasts on those time
scales and improve the scope and accuracy of those forecasts;
E.Systematically produce experimental climate forecasts on time
scales of several months to years on global space scales; and
F.Shape and augment these forecasts by incorporating additional
physical, agricultural, economic, ecological and other approp-
riate data to the explicit social and economic benefit of soc-
ieties.
ARTICLE III-COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES
Cooperative activities in furtherance of the objectives of this
Agreement will be embodied in separate specific arrangements, i-
ncluding a contract of collaboration between CWB and Columbia U-
niversity, the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit B.
Such cooperative activities may include conducting joint resear-
ch projects, transfers of technologies, exchange of information
products and data sets, and exchange of scientists, technical e-
xperts, and visitors and other forms of cooperation necessary to
develop the IRI as may be mutually agreed by the Parties and th-
eir designated representatives.
Cooperative activities to develop the IRI under this Agreement
will be undertaken consistent with proposed activities under the
Cooperative Agreement on IRI between NOAA and the Hosts in cons-
ultation with and subject to approval by the Parties and their
designated representatives.
ARTICLE IV-FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
No costs resulting from activities under this Agreement will be
borne by the Parties. All costs resulting from joint activities
under this agreement will be respectively borne by the designat-
ed representative, unless otherwise agreed to under separte spe-
cific arrangements Article III. All cooperation shall be subject
to the availability of appropriated funds and to applicable laws
, regulations, and review processes.
ARTICLE V-INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CONSIDERATIONS
A.The Parties and designated representatives support the widest
possible dissemination of information provided, exchanged or
arising under this Agreement, subject to any existing rights
and/or restrictions and consistent with all applicable laws.
B.Information transmitted by either Party or its designated rep-
resentative to this Agreement to the other Party or its desig-
nated representative shall be accurate to the best knowledge
and beilief of the transmitting party, but the transmitting p-
arty does not warrant the suitability of the information tran-
smitted for any particular use or application by the receiving
party or by any third party. Information developed jointly by
the Parties and their designated representatives shall be acc-
urate to the best knowledge and belief of all Parties and the-
ir designated representatives. No Party or designated represe-
ntative warrants the accuracy of the jointly developed inform-
ation or its suitability for any particular use or application
by either Party or designated representative, or by any third
party.
ARTICLE VI-EFFECTIVE DATE
This Agreement will become effective on the date of the last si-
gnature hereafter, and will be in full force and effect for five
years thereafter.
ARTICLE VII-AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
This Agreement may be amended by the mutual written agreement of
the Parties.
This Agreement may be terminated by either Party at any time by
notification to the other Party in writing sixty (60) days in a-
dvance of the desired termination date. It is understood that an
attempt will be made to reach mutual agreement on the terminati-
on dates to allow orderly termination of activities and repatri-
ation of personnel.
ARTICLE VIII-RESOLUTION OF DIFFICULTIES
The Parties shall consult, regarding any matter related to the
terms of this Agreement, and shall endeavor jointly, in a spir-
it of cooperation and mutual trust, to resolve any difficulties
or misunderstandings that may arise.
FOR THE TAIPEI ECONOMIC AND FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN
GULTURAL REPERSENTATIVE OFFICE TAIWAN
IN THE UNITED STATES
10/26/2000 10/20/2000