U.S. Code > Title 15 Commerce and Trade > CHAPTER 56A—GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH (§§ 2921—2961) > § 2921. Definitions

§ 2921. Definitions

As used in this chapter, the term—
(1) “Committee” means the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences established under section 2932 of this title;
(2) “Council” means the Federal Coordinating Council on Science, Engineering, and Technology;
(3) “global change” means changes in the global environment (including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems) that may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life;
(4) “global change research” means study, monitoring, assessment, prediction, and information management activities to describe and understand—
(A) the interactive physical, chemical, and biological processes that regulate the total Earth system;
(B) the unique environment that the Earth provides for life;
(C) changes that are occurring in the Earth system; and
(D) the manner in which such system, environment, and changes are influenced by human actions;
(5) “Plan” means the National Global Change Research Plan developed under section 2934 of this title, or any revision thereof; and
(6) “Program” means the United States Global Change Research Program established under section 2933 of this title.