to gain the best understating of how climate is changing and how national and international polices interact with each other. A wide range of users—farmers, business, humanitarian NGOs, transboundary resources managers, and security agencies—can benefit from access to international information on climate change and thus from U.S. investment in international information systems. Information on impacts, greenhouse gas emissions, and response strategies internationally is essential for effective United States decisions because of the effect that international conditions have on United States climate, competitiveness, carbon prices, security, standards, and protocols for business. Valuable information is provided through federal agencies that collect, monitor, and disseminate international information such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USAID, and the U.S. military.

Recommendation 9:

The federal government should support the collection and analysis of international information, including (a) climate observations, model forecasts, and projections; (b) the state and trends in biophysical and socioeconomic systems; (c) research on international climate policies, response options, and their effectiveness; and (d) climate impacts and policies in other countries of relevance to U.S. decision makers.