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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 1, JANUARY 1992

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS...
COMMENTARY

Item #d92jan15

"The Greenhouse Debate: Time for Action?" Eos, 72(53), 593, 596-597, Dec. 31, 1991. In a 1991 Nature paper (Mar. 19, p. 219), M. Schlesinger (Dept. Atmos. Sci., Univ. Illinois, Urbana IL 61801) and X. Jiang argued that a 10-year delay in reducing greenhouse gas emissions has only a small effect on the projected warming in the year 2100. Here they respond to challenges to their view by J.S. Risbey (Ctr. Global Change Sci., Mass. Inst. Tech., Cambridge MA 02139), M.D. Handel and P.H. Stone.

Item #d92jan16

"The Case against Climate Aid," P. McCully, The Ecologist, 21(6), 244-251, Nov.-Dec. 1991. (Contact Editor, The Ecologist, Agric. House, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 1DU, UK.)

Extensive financial aid is considered by many an essential component of an international response to global warming, but the history of aid and technology transfer is one of discredited economic theories, corruption and failure. Emphasis on these approaches obscures the urgent need for radical changes in First World consumption patterns and global economic and political structures.

Item #d92jan17

"Leaking Gas in the Greenhouse," M.K. Wallis (School Math., Univ. Wales, POB 915, Cardiff CF2 4AG, UK), Nature, 354(6353), 428, Dec. 12, 1991. Presents calculations showing that replacing leaky gas mains in the U.K. could significantly reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas methane, and be profitable for utilities.

Item #d92jan18

"Pragmatics in the Greenhouse," M.J. Grubb (Roy. Inst. Intl. Affairs, 10 St. James's Sq., London SW1Y 4LE, UK), D.G. Victor, C.W. Hope, ibid., 354(6352), 348-350, Dec. 5, 1991.

In the "comprehensive approach" to a climate policy favored by the U.S., all sources and sinks of greenhouse gases are treated as a unit rather than individually. This approach is unworkable because the level of scientific uncertainty differs for various sources and sinks. A "two list" approach is proposed, one for well-quantified sources and sinks, and another, transitional list for those still poorly defined. As a result of future research, items might move from the transitional to the quantified list, or new items might be added to the transitional list.

Item #d92jan19

Two items from Nature, 354(6350), Nov. 21, 1991:

"Methane on the Greenhouse Agenda," K.B. Hogan (Off. Air Radiation, US EPA, 401 M St. SW, Washington DC 20460), J.S. Hoffman, A.M. Thompson, 181-182. Reduction of methane emissions would have a significant impact on global warming; cost-effective approaches for doing this are proposed.

"Efficiency of Climate Policy," J.D. Scheraga (Office Policy, Plan. Eval., US EPA, 401 M St. SW, Washington DC 20460), N.A. Leary, 193. Analysis using the U.S. EPA GEMINI model shows that CO₂ emissions are stabilized at the lowest social cost when a carbon tax is imposed at the level of primary production.

Item #d92jan20

"Climatic Impacts: The Cinderella of Global Change Research Funding?" A. Henderson-Sellers (School Earth Sci., Macquarie Univ., NSW 2109, Australia), Clim. Change, 19(3), 267-270, Oct. 1991.

Lack of financial support for climatic impact research in Australia and elsewhere results largely from adherence to the current, cosy disciplinary structure of research, which must be changed so that genuine interdisciplinary research will no longer be devalued as "second best."