Download or read book Reconciling Observations of Global Temperature Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2000-01-07 with total page 101 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An overall increase in global-mean atmospheric temperatures is predicted to occur in response to human-induced increases in atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping "greenhouse gases." The most prominent of these gases, carbon dioxide, has increased in concentration by over 30% during the past 200 years, and is expected to continue to increase well into the future. Other changes in atmospheric composition complicate the picture. In particular, increases in the number of small particles (called aerosols) in the atmosphere regionally offset and mask the greenhouse effect, and stratospheric ozone depletion contributes to cooling of the upper troposphere and stratosphere. Many in the scientific community believe that a distinctive greenhouse-warming signature is evident in surface temperature data for the past few decades. Some, however, are puzzled by the fact that satellite temperature measurements indicate little, if any, warming of the lower to mid-troposphere (the layer extending from the surface up to about 8 km) since such satellite observations first became operational in 1979. The satellite measurements appear to be substantiated by independent trend estimates for this period based on radiosonde data. Some have interpreted this apparent discrepancy between surface and upper air observations as casting doubt on the overall reliability of the surface temperature record, whereas others have concluded that the satellite data (or the algorithms that are being used to convert them into temperatures) must be erroneous. It is also conceivable that temperatures at the earth's surface and aloft have not tracked each other perfectly because they have responded differently to natural and/or human-induced climate forcing during this particular 20-year period. Whether these differing temperature trends can be reconciled has implications for assessing: how much the earth has warmed during the past few decades, whether observed changes are in accord with the predicted response to the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere based on model simulations, and whether the existing atmospheric observing system is adequate for the purposes of monitoring global-mean temperature. This report reassesses the apparent differences between the temperature changes recorded by satellites and the surface thermometer network on the basis of the latest available information. It also offers an informed opinion as to how the different temperature records should be interpreted, and recommends actions designed to reduce the remaining uncertainties in these measurements.
Download or read book New Evidence Helps Reconcile Global Warming Discrepancies Confirms That Earth s Surface Temperature Is Rising written by and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The National Academy of Sciences, based in Washington, D.C., presents an abstract and a full-text version of the January 12, 2000 report entitled "New Evidence Helps Reconcile Global Warming Discrepancies; Confirms That Earth's Surface Temperature Is Rising." The Panel on Reconciling Temperature Observations of the U.S. National Research Council prepared the document. The report examines the apparent conflict between surface temperature and upper-air temperature, which has led to the controversy over whether global warming is actually occurring.
Download or read book Understanding Earth s Deep Past written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-08-02 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is little dispute within the scientific community that humans are changing Earth's climate on a decadal to century time-scale. By the end of this century, without a reduction in emissions, atmospheric CO2 is projected to increase to levels that Earth has not experienced for more than 30 million years. As greenhouse gas emissions propel Earth toward a warmer climate state, an improved understanding of climate dynamics in warm environments is needed to inform public policy decisions. In Understanding Earth's Deep Past, the National Research Council reports that rocks and sediments that are millions of years old hold clues to how the Earth's future climate would respond in an environment with high levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases. Understanding Earth's Deep Past provides an assessment of both the demonstrated and underdeveloped potential of the deep-time geologic record to inform us about the dynamics of the global climate system. The report describes past climate changes, and discusses potential impacts of high levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases on regional climates, water resources, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and the cycling of life-sustaining elements. While revealing gaps in scientific knowledge of past climate states, the report highlights a range of high priority research issues with potential for major advances in the scientific understanding of climate processes. This proposed integrated, deep-time climate research program would study how climate responded over Earth's different climate states, examine how climate responds to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and clarify the processes that lead to anomalously warm polar and tropical regions and the impact on marine and terrestrial life. In addition to outlining a research agenda, Understanding Earth's Deep Past proposes an implementation strategy that will be an invaluable resource to decision-makers in the field, as well as the research community, advocacy organizations, government agencies, and college professors and students.
Download or read book Observing Global Climate Change written by Kyrill Ya Kondratyev and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-12-14 with total page 590 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collaborative book aims to offer a comprehensive introduction to global climate, the way it is currently changing, the role of earth, air and satellite observation and monitoring, and subsequent climate modelling. It focuses on the interaction between natural and anthropogenic human- made change factors. The book emphasizes the importance of capturing climatic data and the use of that data in computer-based climatic modelling.
Download or read book Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States written by U.S. Global Change Research Program and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-08-24 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Summarizes the science of climate change and impacts on the United States, for the public and policymakers.
Download or read book Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere written by U.s. Climate Change Science Program and published by CreateSpace. This book was released on 2015-02-01 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A primary objective of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is to provide the best possible scientific information to support public discussion and government and private sector decision-making on key climate-related issues. To help meet this objective, the CCSP has identified an initial set of 21 synthesis and assessment products that address its highest priority research, observation, and decision-support needs. This Synthesis/Assessment Report, the first of the 21 Reports, focuses on understanding the causes of the reported differences between independently produced data sets of atmospheric temperature trends from the surface through the troposphere to the lower stratosphere. This topic is relevant to policy-makers because previous discrepancies between surface and tropospheric temperature observations challenged the correctness of climate model simulations and the reality of greenhouse gas-induced global warming.
Download or read book Thriving on Our Changing Planet A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-06-18 with total page 29 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We live on a dynamic Earth shaped by both natural processes and the impacts of humans on their environment. It is in our collective interest to observe and understand our planet, and to predict future behavior to the extent possible, in order to effectively manage resources, successfully respond to threats from natural and human-induced environmental change, and capitalize on the opportunities â€" social, economic, security, and more â€" that such knowledge can bring. By continuously monitoring and exploring Earth, developing a deep understanding of its evolving behavior, and characterizing the processes that shape and reshape the environment in which we live, we not only advance knowledge and basic discovery about our planet, but we further develop the foundation upon which benefits to society are built. Thriving on Our Changing Planet: A Decadal Strategy for Earth Observation from Space (National Academies Press, 2018) provides detailed guidance on how relevant federal agencies can ensure that the United States receives the maximum benefit from its investments in Earth observations from space, while operating within realistic cost constraints. This short booklet, designed to be accessible to the general public, provides a summary of the key ideas and recommendations from the full decadal survey report.
Download or read book Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2 000 Years written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-01-05 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In response to a request from Congress, Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years assesses the state of scientific efforts to reconstruct surface temperature records for Earth during approximately the last 2,000 years and the implications of these efforts for our understanding of global climate change. Because widespread, reliable temperature records are available only for the last 150 years, scientists estimate temperatures in the more distant past by analyzing "proxy evidence," which includes tree rings, corals, ocean and lake sediments, cave deposits, ice cores, boreholes, and glaciers. Starting in the late 1990s, scientists began using sophisticated methods to combine proxy evidence from many different locations in an effort to estimate surface temperature changes during the last few hundred to few thousand years. This book is an important resource in helping to understand the intricacies of global climate change.
Download or read book Fiscal Year 2001 Climate Change Budget Authorization Request written by United States. Congress. House. Committee on Science. Subcommittee on Energy and Environment and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 1630 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Attribution of Extreme Weather Events in the Context of Climate Change written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-07-28 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As climate has warmed over recent years, a new pattern of more frequent and more intense weather events has unfolded across the globe. Climate models simulate such changes in extreme events, and some of the reasons for the changes are well understood. Warming increases the likelihood of extremely hot days and nights, favors increased atmospheric moisture that may result in more frequent heavy rainfall and snowfall, and leads to evaporation that can exacerbate droughts. Even with evidence of these broad trends, scientists cautioned in the past that individual weather events couldn't be attributed to climate change. Now, with advances in understanding the climate science behind extreme events and the science of extreme event attribution, such blanket statements may not be accurate. The relatively young science of extreme event attribution seeks to tease out the influence of human-cause climate change from other factors, such as natural sources of variability like El Niño, as contributors to individual extreme events. Event attribution can answer questions about how much climate change influenced the probability or intensity of a specific type of weather event. As event attribution capabilities improve, they could help inform choices about assessing and managing risk, and in guiding climate adaptation strategies. This report examines the current state of science of extreme weather attribution, and identifies ways to move the science forward to improve attribution capabilities.
Download or read book Global Warming written by Willie Soon and published by The Fraser Institute. This book was released on 2001 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Increased carbon dioxide has, however, markedly increased the growth rates of plants as inferred from numerous laboratory and field experiements.".
Download or read book Frontiers in Decadal Climate Variability written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-07-22 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many factors contribute to variability in Earth's climate on a range of timescales, from seasons to decades. Natural climate variability arises from two different sources: (1) internal variability from interactions among components of the climate system, for example, between the ocean and the atmosphere, and (2) natural external forcings, such as variations in the amount of radiation from the Sun. External forcings on the climate system also arise from some human activities, such as the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosols. The climate that we experience is a combination of all of these factors. Understanding climate variability on the decadal timescale is important to decision-making. Planners and policy makers want information about decadal variability in order to make decisions in a range of sectors, including for infrastructure, water resources, agriculture, and energy. In September 2015, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a workshop to examine variability in Earth's climate on decadal timescales, defined as 10 to 30 years. During the workshop, ocean and climate scientists reviewed the state of the science of decadal climate variability and its relationship to rates of human-caused global warming, and they explored opportunities for improvement in modeling and observations and assessing knowledge gaps. Frontiers in Decadal Climate Variability summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.
Download or read book Energy and Climate Policy Act and the Climate Change Energy Policy Response Act written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Review of the U S Climate Change Science Program s Synthesis and Assessment Product on Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-06-10 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP), established in 2002 to coordinate climate and global change research conducted in the United States and to support decision-making on climate-related issues, is producing twenty-one synthesis and assessment reports that address its research, observation, and decision-support needs. The first report, produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in coordination with other agencies, focuses on understanding reported differences between independently produced data sets of temperature trends for the surface through the lower stratosphere and comparing these data sets to model simulations. To ensure credibility and quality, NOAA asked the National Research Council to conduct an independent review of the report. The committee concluded that the report Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere: Understanding and Reconciling Differences is a good first draft that covers an appropriate range of issues, but that it could be strengthened in a number of ways.
Download or read book Inconvenient Data written by George Root and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2016-08-30 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a serious study of how the climate is changing based on the best available estimates of past global and sea surface temperatures. There is no doubt that the Earth's climate is warming. The analysis I will present in this book strongly suggests that CO2 is partially responsible for this warming. However, the global temperature record does not support the "climate catastrophe" predictions you will hear from the "consensus of scientists." The data do support the conclusion that global temperatures are going to remain fairly stable for the next 50 years. The "global warming" due to CO2 will be offset by a downward trend in temperatures caused by natural cyclic variations in climate. The estimated global temperature data, such as that maintained by the UK Met Office in conjunction with the Hadley Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, is the only actual hard evidence we have that the Earth's climate is changing. These data do not provide any evidence about what is causing the climate to change, but they do provide evidence about how the climate is changing. I am going to use standard data analysis tools to coerce that data into giving up its secrets about how the climate is changing. This study provides several really significant results. Good news for the planet and its inhabitants. Bad news for the politicians and "consensus of scientists" who believe that greenhouse gases, CO2 in particular, will soon cause a "climate catastrophe" of biblical proportions. These predictions are based upon an erroneous interpretation of the global temperature record that even a lay person unskilled in technical matters will be able to understand. This book is composed of two main parts. In the first part, a new model of climate change based on actual measured global temperature data is developed and validated. In the second part, this data based model's predictions of future temperatures are compared with the predictions produced by the IPCC computer simulations and endorsed by the "consensus of scientists." I will show that the IPCC predictions are entirely incompatible with the measured temperature data. I will show that, in order to make their computer simulations appear to match recent global temperatures on Earth, the IPCC has had to inflate the warming effect of CO2 by a factor of 5X. And it is this 5X multiplication of the effect of CO2 that is responsible for the IPCC's "climate catastrophe" predictions. The actual climate data refute the assertion that such a "catastrophe" is immanent.
Download or read book Climate Change Science Strategies and Solutions written by Eileen Claussen and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2022-05-16 with total page 413 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is the greatest environmental challenge of the 21st Century. But what do we truly know about global climate change? And what can we do about it? Most of the world’s top scientists agree that emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from human activities such as industrial processes, fossil fuel combustion, and land-use changes are causing the earth to get warmer. Impacts of this warming may include damage to our coastal areas, accelerated rates of species loss, altered agricultural patterns, and increased incidences of infectious diseases. The effects of climate change — and efforts to mitigate climate change — could also have substantial economic ramifications. The book presents the latest research and analysis from prominent scientists, economists, academics, and policy-makers, including: Tom Wigley and Joel Smith, who, along with other authors of the Science and Impacts chapter, explain the basic science of climate change, the growing evidence that human activities are changing our climate, and the impacts of these changes; Eileen Claussen, John Gummer, Henry Lee, and other authors of the Global Strategies chapter, who describe what nations are or are not doing to address climate change, and the state of international climate talks; Robert Stavins, John Weyant, Ev Ehrlich, and other economists, who explain why economic analyses of climate policy are conducted, why the projected costs of addressing climate change vary so widely among economic models, and how changes driven by today’s economy can influence climate policy; Gov. Jean Shaheen and other authors of the Innovative Solutions chapter, who describe what state and local governments in the United States and multinational companies are doing to monitor and curb greenhouse gas emissions; and Forest Reinhardt, who offers business leaders advice on steering their companies on a path that is healthy for business as well as the global climate. This publication has also been published in paperback, please click here for details.
Download or read book Global Climate Science is Still Evolving written by Hugh W. Ellsaesser and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
