Memorandums From the President on the Task Force on Global Resources and Environment

Memorandum for the Secretary of State, Director, Office of Management and Budget, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality, Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs and Policy, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy

Among the most urgent and complex challenges before the world today is the projected deterioration of the global environmental and resource base. Unless nations of the world take prompt, decisive action to halt the current trends, the next 20 years may see a continuation of serious food and population problems, steady loss of croplands, forests, plant and animal species, fisheries, and degradation of the earth's water and atmosphere.

To increase our capability to respond to these problems, I am establishing a Presidential Task Force on Global Resources and Environment. I am asking you to serve as members of this Task Force and am asking the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality to serve as Chairman.

The objectives of this Task Force will be:

• to ensure that high priority attention is given to important global resource, population, and environment problems;
• to assess the effectiveness of Federal efforts in these areas; and
• to assess ways to improve the Federal government's ability to project and analyze long-term resource, population, and environment trends.

The Task Force will report to me as soon as possible with recommendations for problem areas needing priority attention by the Task Force. It will report to me within six months and periodically thereafter on its progress and on ways in which Federal programs in these areas can be strengthened and improved.

The Task Force will carry out its responsibilities in consultation with and with the assistance of the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice, the Central Intelligence Agency, the International Development Cooperation Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and my Assistant for National Security Affairs.

JIMMY CARTER

Memorandum for the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Transportation, the Attorney General, Department of Justice, the Director, Central Intelligence Agency, the Director, International Development Cooperation Agency, the Director, National Science Foundation, the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, the Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

Among the most urgent and complex challenges before the world today is the projected deterioration of the global environmental and resource base. Unless nations of the world take prompt, decisive action to halt the current trends, the next 20 years may see a continuation of serious food and population problems, steady loss of croplands, forests, plant and animal species, fisheries, and degradation of the earth's water and atmosphere.

To increase our capability to respond to these problems, I have established a Task Force on Global Resources and Environment consisting of the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality as chair, the Secretary of State, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs and Policy, and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

I have directed the Task Force to work closely with you in carrying out its responsibilities, which will be:
• to ensure that high priority attention is given to important global resource, population, and environment problems;
• to assess the effectiveness of federal efforts in these areas; and
• to assess ways to improve the federal government's ability to project and analyze long-term resource, population, and environment trends.

Each of your agencies shall cooperate with and support this important Task Force. The Task Force will report to me as soon as possible with recommendations for problem areas needing priority attention by the Task Force. It will report to me within six months and periodically thereafter on its progress and on ways in which federal programs in these areas can be strengthened and improved.

JIMMY CARTER