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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 5, NUMBER 12, DECEMBER 1992

REPORTS...
GENERAL INTEREST AND POLICY

Item #d92dec96

National Greenhouse Gas Accounts: Current Anthropogenic Sources and Sinks, S. Subak (SEI, 89 Broad St., Boston MA 02110), P. Raskin, D. Von Hippel, 37 pp., 1992. Stockholm Environ. Inst., POB 2142, S-103 14 Stockholm, Swed. (tel: 46 8 723 0260).

Provides spatially disaggregated estimates of greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂, CO, CH₄, N2O, halocarbons) from various sources for 145 countries. Includes a new estimate of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion, based mainly on data from the International Energy Agency.

Item #d92dec97

Climate Change: The IPCC Impact Assessment, 296 pp., 1992, $24.95. Australian Govt. Pub. Serv., 5602 NE Hassalo St., Portland OR 97213 (800-944-6190). The report of the IPCC's Working Group II.

Item #d92dec98

Science and Fiction of the Greenhouse Effect and Carbon Dioxide, C.J.F. Böttcher, 80 pp., 1992. Global Inst. for Study of Natural Resour., Koninginnegracht 47, 2514 AE The Hague, Neth. (tel: 31 70-3600599).

Presents a skeptical review of the issue in general and gives some updates of research. Sections cover topics such as IPCC reports, opinion polls, sources of confusion and misunderstanding, unreliability of models, CO₂ doubling, sea level rise, the "scare-them-to-death" approach, the Rio Declaration, the policy maker's dilemma, and readjusting research priorities. (A more comprehensive version of this report, and one analyzing energy policy measures and technologies aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions, are also available from the institute, which studies the Earth's natural resources and human dependence on them.)

Item #d92dec99

International Environmental Research and Assessment: Proposals for Better Organization and Decision Making, 82 pp., July 1992. Prepared by J.H. Ausubel, T.F. Malone et al. The Carnegie Commission on Sci., Technol. & Govt., 10 Waverly Pl., New York NY 10003 (212-998-2150). No charge.

Prompted by a concern that human knowledge, skills and social organization may not keep pace with the forces leading to environmental deterioration and associated conflict. Suggests an international Consultative Group for REsearch on the ENvironment (CGREEN), to strengthen and interrelate world-wide capabilities for environmental research, especially as applied to development. Proposes steps for improving international environmental assessments and for integrating scientific and technological knowledge into international policy.

Item #d92dec100

International Environment: Strengthening the Implementation of Environmental Agreements (GAO/RCED-92-188), 17 pp., Aug. 1992. First five copies, no charge. U.S. General Accounting Office, POB 6015, Gaithersburg MD 20877 (202-275-6241).

Although many recent agreements on global environmental issues are noteworthy, monitoring can be poor, and often Third World countries lack the ability to comply. This report describes the extent to which implementation of international agreements is available, examines the roles this information can play, considers incentives to aid in implementation, and suggests how the U.S. Congress can strengthen these agreements.

Item #d92dec101

Uncertainties in Current Models of Global Warming (API 4550), E.P. Olaguer (IT Corp., Durham, N.C.), 113 pp., Apr. 1992. Amer. Petrol. Inst., 1220 L St. NW, Washington DC 20005.

A literature review reveals at least four major defects are common to general circulation models. They cannot reliably compute surface heating and cooling; clouds and water vapor in the upper troposphere are crucial but poorly represented; the critical role of ocean circulation in delaying and mitigating global warming is poorly represented; models depend heavily on error-prone approximations. These uncertainties need to be explicitly recognized by policy makers if decisions are made to stabilize or reduce greenhouse gases.

Item #d92dec102

Climate Institute: Bridging the Globe. Six Year Report--1986-1992, 23 pp., 1992. Clim. Inst., 324 Fourth St. NE, Washington DC 20002 (202-547-0104).

The institute's activities have centered around developing a commonly shared understanding, based on the best available science, of what is at risk from a buildup of global pollutants and of what options exist to respond to this challenge. A top priority has been to strengthen the ability of scientists in developing countries to organize analyses of potential climate impacts in their nations.

Item #d92dec103

Benefits Estimates and Environmental Decision-Making, 60 pp., Oct. 1992, $14. OECD Pubs., 2001 L St. NW, S-700, Washington DC 20036 (202-785-6323); or OECD, 2, rue André-Pascal, 75775 Paris Cedex 16, France (tel: 33-1-45-24-82-00); or other OECD outlets.

Even though many techniques exist for evaluating in monetary terms the benefits of environmental protection measures, these techniques are not commonly used in decision-making. This study examines the reasons for this and proposes improvement.

Item #d92dec104

Vital Signs 1992: The Trends that Are Shaping Our Future, L.R. Brown (Worldwatch Inst.), C. Flavin, H. Kane, 131 pp., Oct. 1992, $10.95. Published by W.W. Norton (New York) and Earthscan (London).

A new annual publication intended as a companion volume to the Institute's State of the World report, Vital Signs attempts to fill some gaps in the official gathering, analysis and dissemination of global environmental and related economic data. A core group of indicators of progress toward a sustainable economy, including trends in carbon emissions and population, will be supplemented by other topics. This issue includes CFC production and CFC substitutes, trends in energy, trends in atmospheric properties, and forest loss.

Item #d92dec105

Our Ozone Shield, D.L. Albritton (NOAA, Boulder, Colo.) et al., 20 pp., Fall 1992. Univ. Corp. Atmos. Res., POB 3000, Boulder CO 80307. The second in a series on climate and global change for public education.

Item #d92dec106

The WMO Long-Term Plan: Overall Policy and Strategy 1992-2001. Part 1 (WMO 768), 100 pp., 1992, $25. World Meteor. Pubs. Ctr., Amer. Meteor. Soc., 45 Beacon St., Boston MA 02108 (US & Canada).

Provides an overview of the future needs and opportunities for development of national meteorological and hydrological services, and summarizes the overall strategy and major program objectives for this time period. Topics include world climate, atmospheric research and environment, and resources for implementing the plan.

Item #d92dec107

Global Change Research: Summaries of Research in FY 1992 (DOE/ER-0565T), U.S. Dept. Energy, 178 pp., Oct. 1992. From Carbon Dioxide Info. Analysis Ctr., Oak Ridge Nat. Lab., Oak Ridge TN 37831 (615-574-0390); no charge.

Provides general program goals and organization and summaries of funded projects. In FY 1993, the Program for Ecological Research will begin, and an initiative on economics and climate change will be launched.