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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1, JULY 1988

PERIODICALS

Item #d88jul66

"Adequacy of Ozone Protection Treaty is Under Scrutiny," Chem. Eng. News, 66(22), 24, May 30, 1988.

The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer will go into effect in 1989 if 11 countries have ratified it. However because of new results on stratospheric ozone depletion, the United Nations Environment Program is already contemplating a reassessment ahead of the schedule anticipated by the Protocol.

Item #d88jul67

"Potential Effects of Climate Changes on Electric Utilities," T. Wilson, EPRI Journal, 41-43, Apr.-May 1988. Contact Editor, Elec. Pwr. Res. Inst., POB 10412, Palo Alto CA 94303.

In the past, utilities considered climate to be constant over the 10-50 year periods considered when making capital investment decisions. A study, done for EPRI by ICF Inc., looking at how uncertainties in future climate could effect New York State utilities and a southeastern utility, concluded that possible climate changes could significantly affect the electric utility industry by the year 2015. An increase in the average summer temperature would increase electric demand by 0.45% throughout New York, although annual energy requirements in upstate New York would decrease because of lower winter heating loads. Summer demand would increase by 3.4% for the southeastern utility. The implications of decisions utilities are making now in relation to possible climate change are discussed.

Item #d88jul68

"The Ozone Layer," J. Gribben, New Scientist, May 5, 1988.

A four-page insert in the "Inside Science" series giving an overview of the atmosphere as it relates to ozone. Discusses the ozone hole over Antarctica and the chemical mechanisms that enable CFCs to deplete stratospheric ozone there.

"The Ozone Precedent. We've Got a Policy, but Do We Have a Problem?" A. Chase, Outside, 13(3), 37-40, Mar. 1988.

Briefly reviews the scientific explanations for ozone depletion, beginning with the work of Rowland and Molina in the 1970s to the present events and concerns such as the Antarctic ozone hole, the increased risk of cancer with ozone depletion, policy debate among U.S. agencies, the Montreal protocol.

Item #d88jul69

"Preparing for Climate Change," L. Tangley, BioScience, 38(1), 14-18, Jan. 1988.

That increased carbon dioxide can lead to global warming has been known for a century; the present controversy centers around how rapidly the global warming might take place. Levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere have increased approximately 25% since 1900, and even if fossil fuel use is decreased somewhat, the level will double by 2050. Effects on agriculture are being investigated; for example, climate changes could reduce wheat production in Saskatchewan 6-25% because of drought. Crop irrigation requirements in the western United States could increase by 30%. The possible impacts on fisheries are not as well studied, but factors such as surface warming of the ocean, upwelling, distribution of sea ice, and pH changes could create new community associations which could enhance or limit commercial fishing. Laboratory studies have shown that some larval forms of fish and shellfish could be vulnerable to higher levels of ultraviolet radiation. In natural ecosystems, the range of wild species could change, and natural communities could be disrupted, with species extinction possible. Most species will tend to migrate northwards; changes in the higher latitudes would be most dramatic. Slowing down global warming by switching away from fossil fuel energy and slowing tropical deforestation could buy time.