Showing papers on "Global warming published in 1981"

Climate Impact of Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

Abstract: The global temperature rose by 0.2°C between the middle 19609s and 1980, yielding a warming of 0.4°C in the past century. This temperature increase is consistent with the calculated greenhouse effect due to measured increases of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Variations of volcanic aerosols and possibly solar luminosity appear to be primary causes of observed fluctuations about the mean trend of increasing temperature. It is shown that the anthropogenic carbon dioxide warming should emerge from the noise level of natural climate variability by the end of the century, and there is a high probability of warming in the 19809s. Potential effects on climate in the 21st century include the creation of drought-prone regions in North America and central Asia as part of a shifting of climatic zones, erosion of the West Antarctic ice sheet with a consequent worldwide rise in sea level, and opening of the fabled Northwest Passage.

Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future

Abstract: (Most chapters end with Review Questions, Thinking Environmentally, Making a Difference and Web References). Preface. 1. Introduction: Sustainability, Stewardship, and Sound Science. The Global Environmental Picture. Three Unifying Themes. Ethics: What Is the Stewardship Ethic? Earth Watch: Agenda 21. I. ECOSYSTEMS AND HOW THEY WORK. 2. Ecosystems: Units of Sustainability. What Are Ecosystems. The Structure of Ecosystems. Global Biomes. Implications for Humans. Ethics: Can Ecosystems Be Restored? 3. Ecosystems: How They Work. Matter, Energy, and Life. Principles of Ecosystem Functions. Implications for Humans. Global Perspective: Lights and Nutrients: The Controlling Factors in Marine Ecosystems. Earth Watch: Biosphere 2. 4. Ecosystems: Population and Succession. Popular Dynamics. Mechanisms of Population Equilibrium. Disturbance and Succession. Implications for Humans. Ethics: The Dilemma of Advocacy. Earth Watch: An Endangered Ecosystem Act? 5. Ecosystems and Evolutionary Change. Selection by the Environment. Selection of Traits and Genes. Changes in Species and Ecosystems. Plate Tectonics. Evolution in Perspective. Ethics: Selection: Natural and Unnatural. Earth Watch: What Is a Species? Earth Watch: Preserving Genes for Agriculture. II. THE HUMAN POPULATION. 6. The Human Population: Demographics. The Population Explosion and Its Cause. Different Worlds. Environmental and Social Impacts of Growing Populations and Affluence. Dynamics of Population Growth. Earth Watch: Are We Living Longer? Ethics: The Dilemma of Immigration. 7. Addressing the Population Problem. Reassessing the Demographic Transition. Development. A New Direction for Development: Social Modernization. The Cairo Conference. Global Perspective: Fertility and Literacy. Ethics: Additional Incentives for Reducing Fertility. Earth Watch: An Integrated Approach to Alleviating the Conditions of Poverty. III. RENEWABLE RESOURCES. 8. Soil and the Soil Ecosystem. Plants and Soils. Soil Degradation. Addressing Soil Degradation. Ethics: Erosion by Equation. Global Perspective: Three-Strata Forage System for Mountainous Drylands. 9. Water: Hydrologic Cycle and Human Use. Water-A Vital Resource. The Hydrologic Cycle. Human Impacts on the Hydrologic Cycle. Sources and Uses of Fresh Water. Overdrawing Water Resources. Obtaining More Water. Using Less Water. Desalting Sea Water. Storm Water. Water Stewardship. Earth Watch: Water Purification. Global Perspective: The Death of the Aral Sea. Global Perspective: The World Water Forum. 10. The Production and Distribution of Food. Crops and Animals: Major Patterns of Food Production. Food Distribution and Trade. Hunger, Malnutrition, and Famine. Global Perspective: World Food Summit. Ethics: The Lifeboat Ethic of Garret Hardin. 11. Wild Species: Biodiversity and Protection. Value of Wild Species. Saving Wild Species. Biodiversity. Earth Watch: Return of the Gray Wolf. Global Perspective: Biodiversity: Essential or Not? 12. Ecosystems as Resources. Biological Systems in a Global Perspective. Conservation and Preservation. Biomes and Ecosystems under Pressure. Public and Private Lands in the United States. Earth Watch: Nature's Corporations. Earth Watch: Will Aquaculture Be Able to Fill the Gap? IV. ENERGY. 13. Energy from Fossil Fuels. Energy Sources and Uses. The Exploitation of Crude Oil. Other Fossil Fuels. Sustainable Energy Options. Ethics: Trading Wilderness for Energy in the Far North. Earth Watch: Cogeneration: Industrial Common Sense. 14. Nuclear Energy: Promise and Problems. Nuclear Power: Dream or Delusion? How Nuclear Power Works. The Hazards and Costs of Nuclear Power. More Advanced Reactors. The Future of Nuclear Power. Ethics: Showdown in the New West. Earth Watch: Radiation Phobia? 15. Renewable Energy. Principles of Solar Energy. Putting Solar Energy to Work Indirect Solar Energy. Additional Renewable Energy Options. Policy for a Sustainable Energy Future. Earth Watch: Economic Payoff of Solar Energy. Ethics: Transfer of Energy Technology to the Developing World. V. POLLUTION AND PREVENTION. 16. Environmental Hazards and Human Health. Links between Human Health and the Environment. Pathways of Risk. Risk Assessment. Ethics: The Rights of Smokers? Global Perspective: An Unwelcome Globalization. 17. Pests and Pest Control. The Need for Pest Control. Promises and Problems of the Chemical Approach. Alternative Pest Control Methods. Socioeconomic Issues in Pest Management. Public Policy. Ethics: DDT for Malaria Control: Hero or Villain? Global Perspective: Wasps 1, Mealybugs 0. 18. Water: Pollution and Its Prevention. Water Pollution. Eutrophication. Sewage Management and Treatment. Public Policy. Earth Watch: Monitoring for Sewage Contamination. Earth Watch: The Algae from Hell. Ethics: Cleaning Up the Flow. 19. Municipal Solid Waste: Disposal and Recovery. The Solid-Waste Problem. Solutions. Public Policy and Waste Management. Earth Watch: Regionalized Recycling. Ethics: Affluenza: Do You Have It? 20. Hazardous Chemicals: Pollution and Prevention. Toxicology and Chemical Hazards. A History of Mismanagement. Cleaning Up the Mess. Management of New Wastes. Looking toward the Future. Earth Watch: The Case of the Obee Road NPL Site. Ethics: Environmental Justice and Hazardous Waste. Career Link: Daniel S. Granz, EPA Environmental Engineer. 21. The Atmosphere: Climate, Climate Change, and Ozone Depletion. Atmosphere and Weather. Climate. Global Climate Change. Depletion of the Ozone Layer. Ethics: Stewardship of the Atmosphere. Global Perspective: Coping with UV Radiation. 22. Atmospheric Pollution. Air Pollution Essentials. Major Air Pollutants and Their Impact. Sources of Pollutants. Acid Deposition. Bringing Air Pollution under Control. Taking Stock. Global Perspective: Mexico City: Life in a Gas Chamber. Earth Watch: Portland Takes a Right Turn. Earth Watch: The Clean Air Act Brings a Windfall. VI. TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. 23. Economics, Public Policy, and the Environment. Economics and Public Policy. Resources and the Wealth of Nations. Pollution and Public Policy. Benefit-Cost Analysis. Politics, the Public, and Public Policy. Earth Watch: Green Fees and Taxes. Global Perspective: The World Trade Organization. 24. Sustainable Communities and Lifestyles. Urban Sprawl. Urban Blight. Moving toward Sustainable Communities. Epilogue. Ethics: The Tangier Island Covenant. Career Link: Brain Hopper, Environmental Law Intern. ABC Video Case Studies, Volume V. Appendix A: Environmental Organizations. Appendix B: Units of Measure. Appendix C: Some Basic Chemical Concepts. Bibliography and Suggested Reading. Glossary. Index.

Detecting CO 2 -induced climatic change

Abstract: Although it is widely believed that increasing atmospheric CO2 levels will cause noticeable global warming, the effects are not yet detectable, possibly because of the ‘noise’ of natural climatic variability. An examination of the spatial and seasonal distribution of signal-to-noise ratio shows that the highest values occur in summer and annual mean surface temperatures averaged over the Northern Hemisphere or over mid-latitudes. The spatial and seasonal characteristics of the early twentieth century warming were similar to those expected from increasing CO2 based on an equilibrium response model. This similarity may hinder the early detection of CO2 effects on climate.

Climate Change And Society: Consequences Of Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

Abstract: This book summarizes current knowledge of the causes of climatic change and presents a scenario of the future climate distribution that could prevail on a warmer Earth. It then focuses on the impacts of climatic change - in particular, a global warming accompanied by a shift in rainfall patterns - in such vital areas as food and fiber production, water resources, natural ecological systems, fisheries, health and disease, energy demand, and so forth. The authors discuss in detail the political, economic, social, and ethical implications of global environmental change. They also evaluate national and international strategies for mitigating the impacts of climatic change or possibly averting that change altogether.

The effect of ocean heat capacity upon global warming due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide

Abstract: Time-dependent global warming due to increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide has been estimated by employing an ocean-land global climate model. Ocean heat capacity is incorporated by means of a global ocean model having a 70 m deep mixed layer, with heat being transported from the mixed layer to deeper waters by eddy diffusion. The time-dependent increase in atmospheric CO2, from 1860 to 2025, is taken from carbon-cycle models. The model results suggest that ocean heat capacity will produce a lag in CO2-induced global warming of about 2 decades. For example, without inclusion of ocean heat capacity the model predicts that an increase in global surface temperature of 1°C, relative to 1860, will occur by 1988. But when ocean heat capacity is included, the 1°C warming is delayed until 2006–2012, this range of times corresponding to no land-ocean advective coupling (2006) and complete land-ocean coupling (2012). By 2025, when the assumed atmospheric CO2 content is twice the 1860 value, the model predicts global warming of 1.5°–1.8°C, in contrast to 3.1°C when ocean heat capacity is neglected.

Life on a Warmer Earth - Possible Climatic Consequences of Man-Made Global Warming

Abstract: An IIASA Executive Report based on and IIASA research report by H. Flohn, who has taken a paleoclimatic approach to gaining insights into the implications of global warming produced by he burning of fossil fuels. Using the most reliable radiation models for the relation between carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere and temperature, Flohn selects thresholds of temperature increase, which he then speculates would produce climatic conditions similar to those of earlier periods in the earth's history. He establishes a four-part scenario. An increase in the global average surface temperature (GAST) of 1 degree C, which could occur around 2000-2010 at the projected rate of fossil fuel consumption, would correspond to the GAST 1,000 years ago during the early middle ages. Warming of 1.5 degrees C could occur around 2005-2030, mimicking conditions 6000 years ago at the peak of the Holocene period. Warming of 2.5 degrees C is considered possible around 2020-2050, corresponding to the last interglacial period 120,000 years ago. Finally, an increase of the GAST by 4 degrees C could be reached 2040-2080, producing conditions that occurred during the late Tertiary Period from 2.5 to 12 million years ago, a remarkable epoch when the North Pole became ice free while the South Pole remained glaciated. The Executive Report briefly describe what is known and generally assumed about the climate of the earth during each of the four periods.

Awareness of Mankind as a Factor in Climatic Change

Abstract: The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the various ways by which mankind can influence the global environment in which it lives, with emphasis on the effect of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from continued extensive use of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas). The role of carbon dioxide in determining the heat balance of the atmosphere, and consequently the climate, is explained. Finally, the many implications to mankind of a global warming are discussed, since they are to a large extent the reason for our current concern over an impending environmental change.

Scientists grapple with CO problem: Some say prevention of climatic warming because of carbon dioxide additions to atmosphere not possible, stress dealing with effects

Abstract: Walter Orr Roberts thinks that carbon dioxide "may be the greatest thing that will happen to us in the next 20 years." Roberts is referring to what many view as perhaps the most important long-term problem facing human society: the probability that man-made additions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, primarily through burning of fossil fuels, will induce a global warming through the so-called greenhouse effect sometime in the next century with consequent changes in climate. Roberts, director of the program on food, climate, and the world's future at Aspen Institute for Humanistic Studies, Boulder, Colo., is a former director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. He was one of many scientists addressing various policy as well as scientific aspects of this CO 2 problem at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Toronto early this month. His attitude illustrates one dimension of current thinking on the CO 2 problem, ...