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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 7, NUMBERS 11-12, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1994

REPORTS... GENERAL INTEREST & POLICY

Item #d94nov136

Climate Change in Asia, Aug. 1994. Consists of an Executive Summary (121 pp.), a Thematic Overview (400 pp.), and separate volumes for Pakistan (138 pp.), Indonesia (92 pp.), India (172 pp.), Sri Lanka, Bangladesh (129 pp.), Malaysia (204 pp.), Viet Nam (103 pp.) and the Philippines (120 pp.). Request copies from Office of the Environ., Asian Development Bank, POB 789, 1099 Manila, Philippines, or Climate Inst., 324 Fourth St. NE, Washington DC 20002 (tel: 202-547-0104; fax: 202-547-0111). A 12-page summary appears in the July-August issue of the Climate Institute bulletin Climate Alert.

Assesses impacts and adaptation options based on climate scenarios generated for the years 2010 and 2070. Greenhouse gas inventories were created for each country as a basis for determining needed mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in this rapidly developing region. Impacts center largely on the coastal effects of sea level rise, and the influence on agriculture of altered precipitation. However, the climate scenarios do not include possible alteration of the El Niño Southern Oscillation or of tropical cyclones, both of which could have enormous impacts. National strategies are developed for each country based on the macroeconomic and social implications of climate change, and regional cooperation is discussed.

The findings have undergone technical review in each country. The main conclusion is that radical introduction of technological innovation is needed to reduce emissions as economic growth in the region continues to increase.

Item #d94nov137

Climate Action Report [U.S.], 200 pp., Oct. 1994. Available (no charge) from Off. Global Change, U.S. Dept. State, Washington DC 20520 (202-647-4069).

Constitutes the first formal U.S. communication under the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Describes the current U.S. program; does not identify additional policies or measures that might ultimately be taken by the U.S., and is not a revision of the existing U.S. Climate Action Plan. Major sections address national circumstances, greenhouse gas inventories, mitigation strategies, impacts and adaptation, research and public information, international activities, and future concerns.

Item #d94nov138

Trends '93: A Compendium of Data on Global Change (ORNL/CDIAC-65), T.A. Boden, D.P. Kaiser et al., Eds., 1000 pp., Sep. 1994. Available at no charge, in paper or electronic form, from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), POB 2008, Oak Ridge TN 37831 (tel: 615-574-3645; fax: 615-574-2232).

Provides synopses of frequently-used historical and modern data, emphasizing trace gases but including temperature, precipitation and aerosol records. Includes updates, into 1994 in some cases, of data that appeared in previous editions of Trends, and new information on long-term regional precipitation, atmospheric aerosols, and isotopic 14C measurements of CO2. Details of collection, further documentation, and proper citations are given for each set of data presented.

Item #d94nov139

1993 In Review: An Assessment of New Developments Relevant to the Science of Climate Change, 27 pp., 1994. Autumn 1994 issue of CO2/Climate Report, published by Can. Clim. Ctr., Atmos. Environ. Service, 4905 Dufferin St., Downsview ON M3H 5T4, Can. (416-739-4432).

Summarizes almost 400 technical papers that have appeared during 1993, as an update to the latest IPCC assessments. Gives extensive references.

Item #d94nov140

Two reports from the World Bank: order from World Bank Book Store, 1818 H St. NW, Washington DC 20433 (202-473-2941), or designated distributors in various countries.

Making Development Sustainable: The World Bank Group and the Environment--Fiscal 1994, 270 pp., 1994. An annual report on the environment, which details the continued rise in the Bank's support of environmental protection through its lending of $2.4 billion for environmental projects in fiscal year 1994. The report is organized around a "four-fold agenda": assisting countries in environmental stewardship; minimizing adverse impacts of Bank-financed investments; building on the positive synergies between development and the environment; and addressing regional and global environmental challenges. Gives details of projects funded through the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol (MFMP).

A Progress Report on World Bank Global Environment Operations--Aug.-Sep. 1994, 29 pp. (plus annex of projects), 1994. Published bimonthly, and available at no charge from the Global Environ. Coordination Div. at the address above. Recent meetings and events covered include Task Managers' Workshop on GEF Global Warming Projects (Sep. 27-28), and an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting (Aug.) to prepare for the first meeting of the Conference of Parties (Berlin, Mar. 1995). Other sections cover a GEF portfolio review, mobilizing the private sector, biodiversity and the Bank.

Item #d94nov141

Political Leadership and the Development of Problem-Solving Capacity in the Global Greenhouse: Prospects of Germany, Japan and the United States Towards the 21st Century (EED 1994-3), G. Fermann, 92 pp., Oct. 1994. Available from Fridtjof Nansen Inst., POB 326, N-1324 Lysaker, Norway.

Intended to predict the leadership potential of these countries for solving problems in the area of climate change, and how this potential may be used in the years to come. Traditionally Germany, Japan and the U.S. have stood out, respectively, as the leader, the reluctant follower and the laggard on the issue. Most recently, Germany has clearly adopted the most ambitious abatement target, Japan the least ambitious, and none have adopted a significant CO2 tax. Germany's and Japan's most promising avenues for leadership involve the national abatement target approach and international joint implementation. The most promising contribution of the U.S. is its intellectual leadership on the problem, but this leadership is unlikely to extend to costly political action.

Item #d94nov142

Global Warming and Climate Change, G. Morgan, T. Smuts, 1994. Available from Granger Morgan, Dept. Eng. & Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh PA 15213.

An eight-page brochure oriented toward the general public, with three pull-out booklets of several pages each that expand on the major questions: (1) What is climate change? (2) If climate changes, what might happen? (3) What can be done about climate change? The material was subjected to review and comment by a number of experts and lay people, in an attempt to achieve balanced and impartial treatment. Based in part on the authors' research that involved interviewing citizens to determine common misconceptions about this issue.

Item #d94nov143

El Niño and Climate Prediction, J.M. Wallace, S. Vogel et al., 24 pp., Spring 1994. Available from Univ. Corp. for Atmos. Res., POB 3000, Boulder CO 80307.

The latest in a series of "Reports to the Nation--Our Changing Planet," written by experts to convey to the public the latest understanding on complex topics. Colorfully illustrated. Covers such topics as the interaction between the sea and the winds, impacts on the food web, interannual climate variations, and prediction of El Niño and its global consequences.

Item #d94nov144

Final Report of the Global Climate Change Task Force, Council of State Governments/Eastern Regional Conference, 45 pp. (with extensive appendices), Nov. 1994. Contact CSG/ERC, 5 World Trade Ctr., S. 9241, New York NY 10048 (tel: 212-912-0128; fax: 212-912-0549).

The broad-based task force (from private, public and scientific sectors) developed a comprehensive state strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emisssions and adapt to climate change in the northeastern U.S. Consists of 30 recommendations, many of which are actions also suggested in the federal Climate Change Action Plan. Recommendations address improving energy efficiency in all private and public sectors, promoting public transportation, encouraging telecommuting and flex-time, promoting tree planting and use of non-fossil energy sources, and encouraging methane collection from landfills and agricultural sources.