Climate 411

Part 1 of 4: How Warm is Too Warm?

By / Bio / Published: March 7, 2007

This is the first installment of a four-part series to be published each Wednesday on Action Needed to Stop Global Warming.

1. How Warm is Too Warm?
2. Worldwide Emissions Target
3. U.S. Emissions Target
4. Technologies to Get Us There

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (see IPCC report [PDF] and description of the IPCC), global warming is “unequivocal”, and almost certainly due to human activities. Moreover, the IPCC says, global warming is already doing significant damage – more droughts, wildfires, heat waves, and downpours, and more intense hurricanes. What can we do about it?

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Posted in Basic Science of Global Warming / Read 18 Responses

Why Switch to Compact Fluorescents?

By / Bio / Published: March 6, 2007

In case you haven’t noticed, compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs, for short) have been in the news lately. Environmental Defense, along with scores of other environmental organizations, have been encouraging folks to switch their old-fashioned incandescent lightbulbs for CFLs. Australia has mandated that incandescents be phased out completely [PDF], and California is considering similar legislation. Here’s why.

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Posted in News / Read 4 Responses

Inuits Blame U.S. for Global Warming

By / Bio / Published: March 5, 2007

Here’s an interesting news item you may have missed. The Inuit, who live in the arctic circle, are blaming the U.S. for destroying their homeland. On Thursday, they will make their case at a hearing of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. Representing them is Sheila Watt-Cloutier, recently nominated with Al Gore for a Nobel Peace Prize for their work on climate change.

So why do the Inuit think the U.S. is responsible for the loss of their homeland? Here’s the scoop.

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Posted in Arctic & Antarctic / Read 2 Responses

Encroaching Sea Haiku

By / Bio / Published: March 2, 2007

In South Pacific
Two islands, encroaching sea,
Life as known is lost.*

*Kiribati and Tuvalu, two inhabited islands near two uninhabited islands that have already sunk, are preparing for disaster.

    

Posted in News / Read 2 Responses

Teaching Teachers about Climate Change

By / Bio / Published: March 1, 2007

In my 30 years as a university professor before coming to Environmental Defense (2 years ago today!), I gave a lot of lectures in a lot of classrooms. But last Thursday I had one of the strangest lecture experiences of my professional life.

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Posted in News / Comments are closed

The Water Vapor Fallacy

By / Bio / Published: February 28, 2007

ignoratio elenchi n.
A logical fallacy of presenting an argument that may in itself be valid, but has nothing to do with the proposition it purports to prove. Also known as “irrelevant conclusion”. [Lat. ignorance of refutation.]

In her comment to our Exxon post, Beth Wellington raises an important question: What can we do to make sure that our kids are being taught the real facts on climate change? Her question reminded me of a recent incident, and leads me to award this week’s Ignoratio Elenchi Award to an unknown teacher from an unspecified state. Let me explain.

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Posted in Basic Science of Global Warming / Read 3 Responses