Environmental Cooperation
Signed in Sofia September 8, 1998
Entered into force September 8, 1998;
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA 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 and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria (hereinafter, the Bulgarian 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.
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 define specifications for measurement equipment (detail provided 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 Bulgarian 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 Bulgaria;
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 Bulgarian 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 Bulgarian 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 Bulgarian side will:
1. Identify Bulgarian schools that will participate in the GLOBE Program (details regarding GLOBE schools in Appendix A) and provide an updated list of Bulgarian GLOBE schools to the U.S. side at the beginning of each school year;
2. Ensure that Bulgarian 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 Bulgarian Government Point of Contact responsible for policy-level 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 Bulgaria;
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 Bulgarian GLOBE school;
6. Ensure that GLOBE instructional materials related to measurement procedures and data reporting protocols are utilized in Bulgarian GLOBE schools, and that broader GLOBE educational materials are appropriately translated, adapted, reproduced, and distributed to all Bulgarian 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 Bulgarian GLOBE schools calibrate GLOBE measurement equipment according to procedures provided in GLOBE instructional materials;
9. Ensure that Bulgarian 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 Bulgarian schools, make agreed alternative arrangements for such reporting and receipt (At a minimum, the Bulgarian Country Coordinator will need access to the Internet so that all measurement data from Bulgarian GLOBE schools will be reported via Internet.); and
10. Evaluate GLOBE operations in Bulgaria periodically and assist the U.S. side in conducting periodic evaluation of the overall GLOBE Program.
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 Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria will select an NGO through which project activities will be financed. The conduct of activities under this agreement will be consistent with the relevant laws and regulations of the United States and Bulgaria.
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 use its best efforts to facilitate the movement of persons and goods into and out of its territory and to accord entry to such goods into U.S. and Bulgarian territory free of customs duties and other similar charges, as is necessary to implement this agreement, to the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of the United States and Bulgaria.
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 five-year 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 Sofia, Bulgaria on the eighth day of September, 1998, in duplicate.
For the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
Her Excellency, Ambassador Avis T. Bohlen
For the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria:
His Excellency, Mr. Veselin Metodiev, Minister of Education and Science
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.
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. The set of GLOBE measurements reflects the desire of GLOBE Program management, scientists, and educators to respond to the needs of the education community as well as to provide scientifically useful environmental data. All GLOBE Schools are strongly encouraged to participate in the full range of GLOBE Science measurements. Instrument costs vary, depending on the optional methodologies selected and on equipment already available. GLOBE instruments need to meet functional and performance specifications; they do not need to be purchased from specific vendors.
ATMOSPHERE/CLIMATE STUDIES
Air Temperature: current, daily maximum and minimum
Clouds: cloud cover, cloud type
Precipitation: rain/snow daily amounts, pH
HYDROLOGY STUDIES
Surface Water Temperature
Surface Water Chemistry: pH, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrates,
salinity, electrical conductivity
Transparency
SOILS STUDIES
Soil Moisture
Soil Temperature
Soil Characterization: structure, color, consistence, texture, bulk,
density, particle size distribution, pH, fertility
LAND COVER/BIOLOGY STUDIES
Biometery: extent of canopy and ground cover, tree height and
circumference, species identification
Land Cover: correlation of in situ measurements with remote sensing data
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.
