Source:
Los Angeles TimesBy Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times May 19, 2010.
The academy, calling it 'the most comprehensive report ever on climate change,' suggests taxing carbon emissions. The papers also raise the possibility that global warming might make it necessary to shift vulnerable populations away from coasts.
In a sharp change from its cautious approach in the past, the National Academy of Sciences on Wednesday called for taxes on carbon emissions, a cap-and-trade program for such emissions or some other strong action to curb runaway global warming. Such actions, which would increase the cost of using coal and petroleum — at least in the immediate future — are necessary because "climate change is occurring, the Earth is warming ... concentrations of carbon dioxide are increasing, and there are very clear fingerprints that link
to humans," said Pamela A. Matson of Stanford University, who chaired one of five panels organized by the academy at the request of Congress to look at the science of climate change and how the nation should respond.
The three reports issued Wednesday, totaling more than 860 pages, provide the broad outlines for a U.S. response to the threat; two more reports are to come. "This is the most comprehensive report ever on climate change," said atmospheric scientist Ralph J. Cicerone, the president of the academy. They outline "why the U.S. should act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and why we should have a national strategy to adapt to the inevitable." The reports are available online at http://www.nationalacademies.org Among other things, the reports recommend that a central agency be in charge of the response, possibly a greatly strengthened U.S. Global Change Research Program. They also lay out a series of potential ways to adapt to inevitable changes, such as shifting vulnerable populations away from coasts and finding ways to protect the limited water supplies in the Southwest.
The conclusions of the new reports generally reflect those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released in 2007, but reflect a greater urgency because committee members had an additional five years of research to draw on, Matson said. As a consequence, for example, the academy panels concluded that ocean levels could rise by as much as 5 feet by the end of the century, compared to the IPCC estimate of a foot and a half increase. Earlier this week, both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA reported that 2009 was the warmest year worldwide in human history, reflecting the belief of most scientists that the situation will continue to worsen.
Read more: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/19/science/la-sci-climate-change-20100520
These NAS reports show that the great majority of scientists who have studied climate change now agree that global warming is real and that it is caused by human activities. Unwarranted skepticism by a small minority of scientists, amplified by special interests, has delayed the necessary political action too long. Senators, Representatives, and the President should read these reports and act on their recommendations very soon.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
