A group of scholars, rallying against the deadlocks of past years’ international treaties and legislative initiatives, urges a bottom-up ‘pragmatic’ approach. But they offer no target for emissions reductions, no deadlines, and no enforcement mechanism.
Posted inFeature Article, Policy & Politics
Academy Addresses Congress’s Questions; But Question: How Many on Capitol Hill Listening?
The Congress that this year received advice from the National Academy of Sciences on climate change is a very different one from the Congress that three years ago authorized nearly $6 million for the study. Whether anyone on Capitol Hill was listening appears uncertain three months after America’s Climate Choices was released.
Posted inPolicy & Politics
As Global Temps Rise, More Companies Begin Adapting to a Warmer World
Adjusting and adapting to an inevitably warmer world, more far-sighted private companies are moving forward even in the absence of strong government leadership globally and nationally. Understanding, anticipating and managing their risks are becoming those companies’ new, and challenging, reality. A warmer planet is now inevitable.
Posted inClimate Science
Atmospheric Scientist Scott Denning Shares Lessons from Dialog with ‘Skeptics’
“I didn’t pull punches” in pointing out the “gravity” of climate challenges, a Colorado State professor says of his exchanges with a Heartland Institute conference of climate doubters. He would do it all over again and hopes his “like-minded” colleagues will do so too, and he offers lessons-learned.
Posted inOceans
International Experts Group Points to Faster and Greater Risks to Oceans
An international and interdisciplinary meeting of 27 expert marine scientists cautions of serious and quickening risks to the planet’s oceans and fears of “commercial extinction” of many species and of “an unparalleled rate of regional extinctions of habitat types” such as mangroves and seagrass meadows.
Posted inAnalysis
Reviewing the Nisbet ‘Climate Shift’ Report and Controversial Claims of Media Progress
Matt Nisbet’s ‘Climate Shift’ research report raised headline-grabbing points on fundraising successes by those advocating action on climate change. But it’s what lies behind those headlines — and relating specifically to media coverage — that also warrants further review and analysis.
Posted inFeature Article, Policy & Politics
A Yale Forum Extended ‘Chat’ with American University’s Matthew Nisbet
An extended and slightly edited transcript of American University ‘Climate Shift’ researcher Matthew Nisbet’s e-mail interview exchange with Yale Forum regular contributor John Wihbey.
Posted inClimate Science
‘Academy’ Speaks Out on Personal Attacks; AAAS Board Finally Says It is ‘Deeply Concerned’
AAAS Board expresses deep concerns over ‘extent and nature’ of personal attacks on leading climate scientists.
Posted inClimate Science, Feature Article, Weather Extremes
Recent Weather Events/Climate Connection Drawing Increased Scientific and Media Attention
The recent spate of severe weather events is drawing increased attention — in science and some journalism arenas — to possible links with long-term climate change. It’s an explosive issue and one that will demand close attention and monitoring as it moves forward.
Posted inAnalysis
Advertising Climate Change: A Study of Green Ads, 2005 – 2010
A Yale Forum analysis of print ads from 2005 to 2010 suggests major advertisers closely tracked news coverage and public opinion on climate change, with ‘green’ ads peaking in 2008-09 and returning to ‘background’ levels in 2010. But most companies were reluctant to address the issue directly, preferring instead to tout reduced ’emissions’ and a […]
Posted inHealth
More Concerted Action on Public Health Coming from Medical Community Interests
Public health/climate change connections increasingly being recognized by the medical establishment might help in informing the public at large. Policy experts say a growing awareness of the public health/climate linkage could be a key in breaking through political logjams impeding action on mitigation and adaptation.
Posted inClimate Science
Coffee Growers Facing New Risks; Changing Climate Putting Production at Risk
Morning coffee and reading the day’s paper … more changes coming? Coffee production and inventories are being stretched in part as a result of a changing climate. That well entrenched morning ritual of a newspaper in one hand and a cup of freshly brewed coffee in the other may get more problematic and more expensive […]