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Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change (America's Climate Choices)
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Book Description
Climate change, driven by the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, poses serious, wide-ranging threats to human societies and natural ecosystems around the world. The largest overall source of greenhouse gas emissions is the burning of fossil fuels. The global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, the dominant greenhouse gas of concern, is increasing by roughly two parts per million per year, and the United States is currently the second-largest contributor to global emissions behind China.
Limiting the Magnitude of Future Climate Change, part of the congressionally requested America's Climate Choices suite of studies, focuses on the role of the United States in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The book concludes that in order to ensure that all levels of government, the private sector, and millions of households and individuals are contributing to shared national goals, the United States should establish a "budget" that sets a limit on total domestic greenhouse emissions from 2010-2050. Meeting such a budget would require a major departure from business as usual in the way the nation produces and uses energy-and that the nation act now to aggressively deploy all available energy efficiencies and less carbon-intensive technologies and to develop new ones.
With no financial incentives or regulatory pressure, the nation will continue to rely upon and "lock in" carbon-intensive technologies and systems unless a carbon pricing system is established-either cap-and-trade, a system of taxing emissions, or a combination of the two. Complementary policies are also needed to accelerate progress in key areas: developing more efficient, less carbon-intense energy sources in electricity and transportation; advancing full-scale development of new-generation nuclear power, carbon capture, and storage systems; and amending emissions-intensive energy infrastructure. Research and development of new technologies that could help reduce emissions more cost effectively than current options is also strongly recommended.
15/02/2011
Climate change is one of the most hotly debated topics in today's science. The National Research Council has placed out a series of books discussing the issue with extra focus on each of the major topics involved. "Advancing the Science of Climate Change" focuses on the importance of advancing science in the continuing research into global warming. With government intervention growing, scientific research is more vital than ever. "Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change" focuses on reporting the facts that have been found on the issue and making it so that the people and politicians are well informed and are fully understanding of the issue at hand. "Limiting the Magnitude for Future Climate Change" analyzes what can be done to reduce the impact that climate change will have on our society and our world. Reducing the impact will be the first step in reacting to the climate change which cannot be stopped. "Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change" is a guide elaborating further on how America can change to meet what climate change has wrought for the country. Managing resources and protecting the people and infrastructure of society are the goals within. The series as a whole provides highly scholarly insight on the dilemma and how to answer it, making each core additions to any environmental studies community or college library collection.
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 An Assessment of Naval Hydromechanics Science and Technology (Compass Series) National Research Council, Technology, Committee For Naval Hydromechanics Science, Naval Studies Board |
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 Advancing the Science of Climate Change (National Research Council) National Research Council, America'S Climate Choices: Panel On Advancing The Science Of Cli |
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