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The Committee on Climate Change Science and Technology Integration was created as part of the Clear Skies Initiative in February 2002 by George W. Bush, as a Cabinet-level effort to coordinate climate change science and technology research.

The White House says:


 * "The Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Energy will lead the effort, in close coordination with the President's Science Advisor. The research effort will continue to be coordinated through the National Science and Technology Council in accordance with the Global Change Research Act of 1990."

Background
Announced on February 14th, 2002 by President George W. Bush, the Committee on Climate Change Science and Technology Integration is part of the Clear Skies Initiative and Global Climate Change Initiative. The policies were developed by Congress members Bob Smith, George Voinovich, Billy Tauzin, Joe Barton, Chuck Hagel, Larry Craig, and Jim Connaughton, who was, at the time, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality. The Committee on Climate Change Science and Technology Integration collaborates with an Interagency Working Group on Climate Change Science and Technology, an interagency Climate Change Science Program, and an interagency Climate Change Technology Program. Members of the Committee have included Samuel Bodman, Carlos Gutierrez, and John Marburger III.

Efforts
In January 2009, the Committee on Climate Change Science and Technology Integration submitted a report to the President and Congress titled Strategies for the Commercialization and Deployment of Greenhouse Gas Intensity-Reducing Technologies and Practices. The report is based on the U.S. Climate Change Technology Program's Strategic Plan. It features four main goals, the technology strategies associated with each of them, the challenges related to them, and techniques for implementing the technologies.

Reducing Emissions From Energy End-Use and Infrastructure
The first of the Climate Change Technology Program's goals highlights technology strategies in the transportation, building, industry, and electric grid and infrastructure sectors. The report suggests hybrid electric vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, and transit buses for the transportation sector. Challenges include large costs, market risks, and technology risks. The U.S. government has already employed a variety of Federal programs to assist with deployment, including the Green Vehicle Guide and Alternative Motor Vehicle Credits. Completed structures consume a large amount of energy. The report suggests using improved appliances, such as Energy Star appliances in homes and businesses. Obstacles for this goal include high initial costs, the divided industry structure, and lack of knowledge on technologies. However, federal programs such as Building America and Partnership for Home Energy Efficiency are looking to improve the deployment of these technologies. The industrial sector is the biggest of the end-use sectors. Forced internal recirculation burners, radiation stabilized burners, and isothermal melting are all recommended technologies, however, technical risks of utilizing new technologies have prevented them from catching on. Federal programs such as Industries of the Future and Industrial Assessment Centers are helping to deploy these new technologies. Finally, increased demand for electricity across the world has led to the development of new technologies for energy transmission and storage. Examples include Flexible AC Transmission Systems and High Temperature Superconducting Cables. High costs and unaligned priorities have prevented them from becoming mainstream, however, federal programs such as the Advanced Energy Storage Program are looking to change that.

Reducing Emissions from Energy Supply
The second of the Climate Change Technology Program's goals accentuates technology strategies through the use of low-emission, fossil-based fuels and power, hydrogen, renewable energy and fuels, and nuclear fission. Advanced power systems and advanced combustion systems are expected to assist with low emissions, however, obstacles include the high initial costs and technical risks. Federal programs such as the Clean Coal Facility Tax Credit and Clean Coal Power Initiative are trying to assist with the expenses. Hydrogen-based fuel cells and transportation and storage technologies are also expected to reduce emissions. Challenges here include complicated infrastructure requirements and lack of scientific knowledge, which programs such as the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy are trying to amend. Renewable energy sources such as solar power, wind power, water power, and geothermal power have become more prevalent in recent years, but difficulties such as market risks and expensive initial costs have prevented them from becoming common. Federal programs such as the Green Power Partnership and Solar America Initiative are looking to make renewable energy the standard. Finally, nuclear fission is a new technology that would provide clean energy. However, nuclear power plants have many risks associated with them, including a deficit of knowledge and infrastructure constraints. Nonetheless, federal programs such as loan guarantees for nuclear power programs are encouraging companies to start looking toward nuclear energy.

Capturing and Sequestering Carbon Dioxide
The third Climate Change Technology Program goal features technology strategies through carbon capture, geologic storage, and terrestrial sequestration. Carbon capture is a technology to store away excess CO2, preventing the emissions from traveling to the atmosphere. Methods for carbon capture include post-combustion, pre-combustion, and oxyfuel. While carbon capture can reduce emissions, industries have little to no incentive to do it. There are also constraints on infrastructure and technical risks associated with the process. Federal programs are looking to encourage companies to participate in carbon capture with programs such as Carbon Sequestration Regional Partnerships and the Clean Coal Power Initiative. Another option for storing carbon dioxide is geologic storage. While geologic storage would keep carbon emissions down, obstacles such as lack of information and policy uncertainties are preventing companies from participating. Federal programs such as CO2 storage projects are partnering with companies to encourage them to attempt geologic storage. Finally, terrestrial sequestration through photosynthesis is a natural process with many environmental benefits. Land management practices such as cropland and forest management can reduce carbon emissions, but challenges such as divided industry structures and lack of information prevent these practices from becoming the standard. Federal programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program and Climate Change Bilateral Cooperation are assisting companies in adopting terrestrial sequestration.

Reducing Emissions of Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases
The final Climate Change Technology Program goal contains technology strategies through methane emissions from energy and agriculture, nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture and industrial sources, and other emissions from global-warming potential gases. Methane emissions from energy and waste sectors can be decreased through the use of bioreactor landfills and improved methane detection systems. Challenges such as market risks and high costs are preventing the adoption of these technologies, but federal programs such as the Natural Gas STAR Program and the Landfill Methane Outreach Program are assisting industries in accepting these practices. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture can be lessened through the use of network structures and improved fertilizers. Obstacles for these methods include high initial costs and incomplete knowledge, but federal programs such as AgSTAR are assisting farmers in adopting these techniques. High global-warming potential gas emissions can be combatted using substitute chemicals and improved detection, but with hindrances such as lack of information and high starting costs, many companies aren't participating. Federal programs such as the Significant New Alternatives Policy are encouraging companies to improve their practices. Nitrous oxide emissions from combustion and industrial sources are primarily from the nitric acid production companies. There is still a lot of research that needs to be done to decrease nitrous oxide emissions. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of information surrounding new technologies. Federal programs such as the Environmental Technology Verification Program and Innovations for Existing Plants are working to improve technologies to decreased nitrous oxide emissions.