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Respond in Blackboard Discussion

Charles E. Ophardt, Professor of Chemistry, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL 60126, charleso@elmhurst.edu, Copyright 2004

DEBATE QUESTION: Should the U.S. Senate ratify the Koyto Treaty and agree to quantified legally-binding objectives for greenhouse gas emission limitations and significant overall reductions within specified time frames?

Option # 1: Yes. Establish an international agreement on a long term goal for stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere at a level that minimizes the risks to the biosphere and to human societies, with a specific commitment to stabilize carbon dioxide emissions at 1990 levels by the year 2010. If you endorse this position, make some recommendations about how to reduce the use of fossil fuels or capture the carbon dioxide emitted from them.

Option # 2: No. No action is needed because the "theory" of global warming caused by the burning of fossil fuels, is an unsupported assumption. Continued research is necessary, before any costly counter measures are implemented. Various theoretical climate models used to predict future warming can not be relied upon and are not validated by existing climate record.

INTERNET RESOURCES:

General information: EPA Global Warming Site - very comprehensive and complete FAQ from the EPA Climate Change - Many Links to fact sheets - look on left side for contents Global Warming - good presentation

The first references are either general information and/or on the YES side of the debate.

1. Global Warming

Global Warming - an introduction. The major question is whether the global climate is warming as a result of human activities which are altering the composition of the atmosphere and effecting the natural greenhouse effect. A build up of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, has occurred and is not disputed. There is uncertainty about whether the world climate temperature has increased as a result of the increase in the greenhouse gases and whether it is caused by human activities. Graphic Slides (14) - Excellent Visual summaries of concepts - UNEP
What is the Greenhouse Effect?	Greenhouse effect - EPA Greenhouse Effect graphic - UNEP Why isn't the earth an oven? Earth Observatory - do the first three pages in this series - very detailed. Climate Change Science -
What are greenhouse gases and how do they work?	ProfONotes: Greenhouse gases - Infrared Spectra of Greenhouses gases - ChemLinks Module
Are Global Temperatures Increasing?	Graphic Temperature Trends - UNEP Temperature Trends continue in 1999 - Earth Observatory Global Temperature Trends - ChemConnections

2. Evidence for Global Warming

Ice Core Data	ProfONotes: Evidence for Global Warming Ice core Information on temperature - Australian Antarctic Division
Polar Ice and Land Glaciers	Polar and Land Glacier Ice Melting - Earth Observatory Current Climate Clues in the Ice - Earth Observatory
Other Climate Indicators	Phytoplankton and Climate Change - Earth Observatory Carbon Release from Frozen Soils - Earth Observatory
Evidence from Climate Change Models	Evidence from Climate Change Models Evidence from Past Climates Climate Models: How Reliable are their Predictions? A comprehensive look at how models are constructed, used, and an evaluation of the predictions made from these models.

3. Causes for Global Warming

Evidence for Correlation of Fossil Fuel Use and Carbon Dioxide	ProfONotes: Evidence of Fossil Fuel Use Greenhouse Gas Emissions - EPA
Carbon Cycle and Combustion of Fossil Fuels	ProfONotes:Combustion Reaction ProfONotes:Carbon Cycle Carbon Cycle - carbon flux - UNEP graphic
Biomass burning and deforestation	Biomass Burning - Earth Observatory Tropical Deforestation - Earth Observatory
Emissions of Greenhouse Gases	National Emissions Reports - EPA

4. Consequences and Impacts of Global Warming -

General Impact Links	Impacts - General Reference - EPA Impact Graphics links (many) - UNEP
Sea Level Increases	Sea Level Changes - UNEP - Graphic Are sea levels changing over the past 50 years? ChemLinks Module What are the effects of sea level changes? Sea Level Changes - EPA
Agriculture	Agriculture Changes - UNEP Carbon Storage - Earth Observatory Agriculture Vulnerability - EPA
Biodiversity and Ecological Changes	Biodiversity - UNEP
Water Resources	Water Resource Changes - UNEP - Graphic Water - EPA
Climate disaster and Extreme Weather	Extreme Weather - UNEP

5. Actions to Limit the Impact of Global Warming

Variety of links and actions	Actions at all Levels - EPA - Look at the series of links in the side menu.
Alternative Energy Sources	Alternate energy Fact Sheets
Remove carbon dioxide from fossil fuel power generation.	Carbon Sequestration

6. Proposed Climate Change Treaty - Koyto

The "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" was adopted by a large number of nations at the 1992 "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro. Beginners Guide to The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change At this time firm targets and timetables were established in 1997, in a new effort in Koyto, Japan. 2. ...endorse the Second Assessment Report of the IPCC as currently the most comprehensive and authoritative assessment of the science of climate change, its impacts and response options now available. ....should provide a scientific basis for urgently strengthening action at the global, regional and national levels, ... to limit and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and for all Parties to support the development of a Protocol; and note the findings of the IPCC, in particular the following: - The balance of evidence suggests a discernible human influence on global climate. Without specific policies to mitigate climate change, the global average surface temperature relative to 1990 is projected to increase by about 2 C (between 1 C and 3.5 C) by 2100; average sea level is projected to rise by about 50 centimeters (between 15 and 95 centimeters) above present levels by 2100. Stabilization of atmospheric concentrations at twice preindustrial levels will eventually require global emissions to be less than 50 per cent of current levels; - The projected changes in climate will result in significant, often adverse, impacts on many ecological systems and socioeconomic sectors, including food supply and water resources, and on human health. In some cases, the impacts are potentially irreversible; developing countries and small island countries are typically more vulnerable to climate change; - Significant reductions in net greenhouse gas emissions are technically possible and economically feasible by utilizing an array of technology policy measures that accelerate technology development, diffusion and transfer; and significant no regrets opportunities are available in most countries to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions; 8. Instruct their representatives to accelerate negotiations on the text of a legally-binding protocol or another legal instrument to be completed in due time ...regarding: * policies and measures including, as appropriate, regarding energy, transport, industry, agriculture, forestry, waste management, economic instruments, institutions and mechanisms; *quantified legally-binding objectives for emission limitations and significant overall reductions within specified timeframes, such as 2005, 2010, 2020, with respect to their anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol;" Comparison of current carbon dioxide levels with Koyto limits. Countries listed without Koyto limits are not included in the treaty. Source: ChemConnections

General Information Sites for the final Debate Question
Sites which support the "YES" side	Sites which support the "NO" side
Global Warming: Environmental Defense Fund - Click on climate Change Koyto Protocal - Background - Feeling the Heat Global Warming in Brief	Is Global Warming Real? - seems to be well done, although it is hard to find the qualifications of the authors Global Warming Skeptic's page Still Waiting for Greenhouse - A Lukewarm View of Global Warming by - John L. Daly Another Skeptic's page - World Climate Report gives contrary views on global warming. Look at the Current Features section to get a long list of articles from past issues. Might be slow in loading.