1. Dissenting opinions
American Association of Petroleum Geologists was the last scientific body to acknowledge human influence on climate change
Individual scientists fall into 5 categories:
Believe global warming is not occurring or has ceased
Believe accuracy of IPCC climate projections is questionable
Believe global warming is primarily caused by natural processes
Believe cause of global warming is unknown
Believe global warming will benefit human society
In the end, only time will tell.

2. Prognosis How do we know what is going to happen?
We don’t , but it can be predicted
We call these global climate models
Based on physics (fluid dynamics and radiative transfer, for eg.)
Different models consider different effects, have different inputs and give a range of results
Model validity is verified by using them to predict past and current climate conditions
No, they are not perfect

3. Projections

4. Prognosis Sea level rise of up to 1 foot Reductions in ozone layer
More intense, less frequent hurricanes
Ocean ph and oxygen level reduced
Spread of diseases including malaria, Lyme disease, cholera and bubonic plague
Extinctions of plant an animal species
Population growth due to less deaths from cold weather
Changes in rainfall patterns

5. What are we doing about it
Kyoto Protocol
International environmental treaty to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent man-made interference with the climate
establishes legally binding commitments for the reduction of four greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride), and two groups of gases (hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons) produced by (industrialized) nations,
general commitments for all member countries.
Did not impose limitations on developing countries (such as China)
initially adopted for use on 11 December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan
entered into force on 16 February 2005.
Signed but not ratified by the US

6. Kyoto
industrialized countries agreed to reduce their collective GHG emissions by 5.2% compared to the year 1990.
National limitations range from 8% reductions for the European Union and some others to 7% for the United States, 6% for Japan, and 0% for Russia.
The treaty permitted GHG emission increases of 8% for Australia and 10% for Iceland.

7. US position
US signed in 1998, but this was symbolic-treaty is not binding until ratified.
Yet the US is the largest per capita emitter of carbon dioxide
Prior to Kyoto, (though with a knowledge of what it said) the US Senate passed a resolution that stated “stated the sense of the Senate was that the United States should not be a signatory to any protocol that did not include binding targets and timetables for developing nations as well as industrialized nations or "would result in serious harm to the economy of the United States””
Main concern is the economic losses associated with instituting the caps on carbon emission
Neither the Clinton nor Bush administration submitted the treaty for ratification
Obama Administration’s position is that the treaty is about to end, there is no point in ratifying it (it has a little less than 3 years left)
States and cities have adopted initiatives to cap carbon emission son their own, based at least in part on Kyoto.

8. Reasons for opposition
Global socialism-a scheme to transfer wealth to third world countries and or slow the growth of the worlds industrialized democracies
Doesn’t go far enough to curb GHG emissions
Costs outweigh benefits
Using a single base year (1990) may result in inequities in the caps

9. Next step-beyond Kyoto
Meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009
May result in the Next Generation of Kyoto

10. Conservation
Immediate actions which help reduce our use of fossil fuels, help the environment and save money
Win-win situation for everyone
Can be difficult, require us to change our habits
Starts at home

11. Conservation steps Heating and cooling Efficient appliances Lighting
Insulation
R value, describes the thermal resistance of a material
Function of the thickness and its thermal conductivity
R = l/k
Air-tightness
Efficient heating and cooling units
Set the thermostat lower
Efficient appliances
Water heaters
lower water temp to 120
Use less hot water
Insulate tank
Other appliances
Use them less
Buy newer, more energy efficient models
Turn of items that draw power even when they are off
Lighting
Use more efficient light bulbs (halogen, compact fluorescent,LED)
Turn them off when not in the room
Driving
Purchase a fuel efficient vehicle
Drive at constant, slower speeds
Combine trips
It’s a mode of transportation not a status symbol - get over it