global warming - dr. william warren

Introduction – The Controversy over Man-Induced Global Warming

  This presentation examines the question of greenhouse gas emissions as contributors to global warming. Many charts and images are presented that were published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Scenarios are presented for future warming, and the projected impacts of this warming on ecosystems and world-wide sea level changes. The last part of the program examines remedies for global warming connecting this issue with other environmental and economic issues.

     Remember to right click on the images in order to use your zoom tool and the hand grab tool for moving images. Two corrections: Frame 7 references the Tambora eruption of 1816. I stated 1817 was the year of no winter – I should have said it was the year of no summer. There is no sound file with frame 11 showing recent temperature changes. Comment should be made regarding the cooling that occurred between 1940 and 1975 when CO2was  increasing. The opponents of global warming use this event as an argument for challenging the existence of Greenhouse Gas induced global warming.

       President Bush has recently initiated some support for curbing climate change and encouraging energy independence programs. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 was signed into law on December 19, 2007.  The law calls for the production of 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022 with 15 billion gallons of corn based biofuels by 2015. For the FY08-FY15 period $4 billion would be authorized for advanced biofuel production.

      President –elect  Obama is proposing very large allocations for renewable and biofuel energy development. His comprehensive program of policy initiatives advocate spending $150 billion on renewable energy over the next 10 years. His policy statement envisions the creation of 5 million new jobs, and “within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined. Please check frame 39 in the presentation. It sums both the necessity and sensibility for implementing environmental management and energy independence program.