| Global Warming and Energy Policy 2001 Edition Contributor(s): Kursunogammalu, Behram N. (Editor), Mintz, Stephan L. (Editor), Perlmutter, Arnold (Editor) |
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ISBN: 030646635X ISBN-13: 9780306466359 Publisher: Springer OUR PRICE: $104.49 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: October 2001 Annotation: This volume, proceedings of a symposium on global warming and energy policy, explores two major environmental concerns that arise from fuel use: the prospect that the globe will become warmer as a result of emissions of carbon dioxide, and the effect upon health of the fine particles emitted as combustion products. In regards to the former, in the second half of the 20th century there were major increases in anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and it is generally agreed that these were responsible for an increase in CO2 concentrations. However, the relationship between global temperature and CO2 is unclear. It is known, though, that water vapor is a more important greenhouse gas than CO2 and that the concentrations of water vapor vary widely in time and space. It is generally believed that as temperature increases so does the water vapor, leading to further temperature increases. Some scientists agree with this model, and some disagree with it. This volume (a) outlines the situation of predicting temperature rise, (b) outlines the present situation on the effect of temperature on economic activity, (c) discusses what steps can be taken to clarify this situation, and (d) discusses what society might do while waiting for these steps to produce results. In regards to the effect of combustion products on health, the situation in this case is less global, although many parts of the world are affected. Depending on epidemiological study alone, it is hard to be sure about a risk caused by a substance unless it at least doubles the frequency of an outcome which occurs naturally. The scientific uncertainties, therefore, remain almost as large as those for global warming. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Technology & Engineering | Power Resources - Nuclear - Science | Environmental Science (see Also Chemistry - Environmental) - Science | Earth Sciences - Meteorology & Climatology |
| Dewey: 333.7 |
| LCCN: 2001029946 |
| Physical Information: 0.56" H x 7" W x 10" (1.41 lbs) 220 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: The first part of the conference explores two major environmental concerns that arise from fuel use: (1) the prospect that the globe will become warmer as a result of emissions of carbon dioxide, and (2) the effect upon health of the fine particles emitted as combustion products. The conference focused on the fact that there was lack of data direct enough to enable us to predict an entirely satisfactory result, and that makes policy options particularly difficult. With regard to (1) above, in the second half of the 20th century there were major increases in anthropogenic C02 emissions, and it is generally agreed that these were responsible for an increase in C02 concentrations. But the relationship between global temperature and CO2 concentrations remains murky. The principal problem is that water vapor is a more important greenhouse gas than C02 and that the concentrations of water vapor vary widely in time and space. The approach to this problem is probably, but not certainly, a positive feedback effect: as temperature increases so does the water vapor leading to further temperature increases. Scientists associated with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) tend to believe the general features of the models. Other scientists are often less convinced. |