Specific research programme RTD: environment and climate (1994-1998)

The purpose of this proposal for a decision is to establish a specific RTD and demonstration programme in the field of the environment and the climate for the period 1994-1998. The amount deemed necessary to implement the programme is ECU 532 million. The programme will cover three research subjects: - natural environment, environmental quality and overall change: climate change and impact on natural resources, atmospheric physics and chemistry, biospheric process and impact, human dimension of environmental change; - environmental technologies: sustainable development and technological change, instruments, techniques and methods for monitoring the environment, technologies and methods for protecting the environment, technologies to prevent and reduce natural risks; - space technology applied to environmental monitoring and research: research into methods and pilot projects, research and development of leading-edge sensor technologies, Earth observation centre. Participation in the programme is open, with financial support from the Community, to all legal entities established in the Community or in an associated country following an agreement with the said third country, and to the Joint Research Centre. The programme will be implemented through shared cost actions, concerted actions, specific measures and accompanying measures relating to international cooperation, the dissemination of results and the training of researchers and users. The Commission is authorised to start negotiations with a view to concluding international agreements with third European countries, in order to associate them with all or part of the programme. �