Last glacial climate instability documented by coarse-grained sediments within the loess sequence, at Fanjiaping, Lanzhou, China Hanchao Jiang (蒋汉朝), Ping Wang (王萍), Jessica Thompson, Zhongli Ding (丁仲礼), Yanchou Lu (卢演俦) OSL dating, grain-size analysis and magnetic susceptibility measurements were conducted on the Fanjiaping loess section, the western Chinese Loess Plateau. The results confirm that last glacial high-frequency climatic shifts were documented in mid-latitude continental archives. The grain-size record indicated that coarse-grained sediments with horizontal bedding and channel-fill structures were only deposited in several short intervals, equivalent to the beginning of MIS 4 and the early to middle stage of MIS 3. This probably implies brief rainfall intensification of the Asian summer monsoon, and its disappearance since the late stage of MIS 3 to MIS 2 may have been a response to significant glacial cooling in the Northern Hemisphere. Previous investigations revealed high sea-surface temperatures at high latitudes at the start of MIS 4, and the early to middle stage of MIS 3 intensification of summer insolation in the Northern Hemisphere, implying evident climate melioration. Climate improvement favors boreal forest recovery, enhancing both winter and summer air temperatures. The resultant smaller equator-polar temperature gradient probably helped the moisture-laden summer monsoon to penetrate northward. This study thus provides new significant information about the response of terrestrial loessic palaeoenvironments to millennial-timescale climatic fluctuations during the last glacial period. QR2009-Jiang et al.pdf
Google has set up a company for climate related business. This company is hiring at the AGU. Here is the info: The climate corporation www.climate.com Crea Hlebak ( chlebak@climate.com ) http://hire.jobvite.com/CompanyJobs/Careers.aspx?c=qT59VfwMv=1page=Job%20Descriptionj=oRvOVfwP
Analysis Why Obama and Romney aren't talking about climate change The two presidential candidates agree that the world is getting hotter and that human activity is partly to blame, though you wouldn't know it from the 2012 race posted on October 26, 2012, at 7:48 AM http://theweek.com/article/index/235468/why-obama-and-romney-arent-talking-about-climate-change ps. Read this now before it gets firewalled out!
Twenty-nine percent cited water and air pollution as the most pressing concern, the Washington Post-Stanford University poll indicated, followed by 18 percent who pointed to climate change... http://news.yahoo.com/climate-change-no-longer-tops-us-environment-worries-134721404.html
A recent article in the October 2011 issue of Physics Today : “Communicating the Science of Climate Change,” by Director Susan J. Hassol and Science Director Richard C.J. Somerville. A pdf of the article is available for download here: Somerville Hassol Physics Today 2011 .
最近事情比较多，博客好久没有更新。下月被亚发行邀请去马尼拉参加一个关于气候移民的研讨会，会后会顺道去趟北京，希望能有机会拜访一下老师和合作者。 Researchers’ Workshop on Climate-Induced Migration Policy Responses to Climate-Induced Migration in Asia and the Pacific: Regional Conference Manila, Philippines, 14 – 16 September 2011 Environmental Displacement Asia and the Pacific will be amongst the global regions most affected by the impacts of climate change. Countries of the region are particularly vulnerable because of a high degree of exposure to environmental risks and large population. In recent years, Asia and the Pacific has undergone massive and rapid socioeconomic transformation. Migration within countries, especially from rural to urban areas, has become significant. Countries and populations of Asia and the Pacific will be affected by climate change in different ways, leading to various migration scenarios. Cross-border migration is likely to increase. Already, the region is home to the most important source of international migrants worldwide. In 2010, more than 30 million people in Asia and the Pacific were displaced by environmental disasters, such as storms and floods. Many returned home, but others did not. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, and over time induce significant sea-level rise. At the same time, the region’s population, now around 4 billion, continues to increase. These developments will result in growing numbers of people on the move for reasons that include environmental factors. ADB Events In September 2010, the Asian Development Bank ( ADB ) launched a technical assistance project to develop policy recommendations to address climate-induced migration in Asia and the Pacific. The project is also considering options to finance actions related to climate-induced migration. This unique project aims to stimulate thinking and action by concerned stakeholders and decision-makers on the local, national, regional, and global levels. On 14 September 2011 , ADB will organize a full-day workshop for researchers of environmental displacement and climate-induced migration in Asia and the Pacific. The workshop will bring together individuals exploring these phenomena in several countries in the region. The aim is to share research findings, compare approaches and methodologies, exchange contacts and references, and forge a new professional network. The workshop is expected to bring together researchers from the whole Asia-Pacific region and others interested in their work. Then, on 15-16 September 2011 , ADB will host a one and a half day regional conference to present its initial policy recommendations for addressing migration associated with current environmental events and predicted environmental changes. The conference will assemble leading experts and decision makers from different disciplines. Representatives of governments, inter-governmental organizations, development agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and academe are expected to participate in the event, including researchers who attended the earlier workshop. These events are likely to be the largest-ever gathering of researchers of environmental displacement and climate-induced migration in the world's largest and most populous region.The Honorable Mohamed Aslam, Minister of Housing, Transport and Environment, Maldives, will deliver the keynote address at the regional conference. Among the research institutions and international agencies participating in the program will be the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ICHIMOD, IDDRI, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Labour Organization, International Organization for Migration, PIK, Swedish Environmental Institute, UN HCR, and the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security. The events will raise awareness of the environment as a driver of migration, opportunities to use migration as a tool of adaptation to climate change, and the need for governments and international agencies to act now to reduce human vulnerability and risk associated with environmental displacement. If you would like to attend these events, contact Ms. Chet Japson at email mcjapson.consultant@ adb .org ; telephone +632 632-4444 ; or fax +632 636 2409 . More information can be found online at: http://www. adb .org/SocialDevelopment/climate-migration/default.asp
"Allison, Edward Hugh (WorldFish)" E.Allison@cgiar.org 5/21/2011 9:19 PM Three research positions available at the WorldFish Center. Two are for postdoctoral fellows, so I'd be grateful if you could forward this to your finishing PhDs and recent graduates (or apply if you are one!). If you have networks or blogs you can add this to, I'd really appreciate you posting this to them. There is also a more senior position, to lead the Center's wide-ranging climate research, much of which will be linked to the CGIAR-wide 'Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security' programme. Further particulars for these jobs will appear on the WorldFish website on Monday. We are trying to broaden our pool of applicants and I'm keen to get early career researchers from leading research groups and others who might not have considered working in the CGIAR before. Apologies if you get this more than once from other colleagues. Many thanks. Eddie Dr Edward H Allison Principal Scientist - Policy, Economics and Social Science The WorldFish Center P.O. Box 500, GPO, 10670 Penang, Malaysia Tel (+60-4) 620 2120 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (+60-4) 620 2120 end_of_the_skype_highlighting Fax 626 5530 Time zone GMT +8 hr Mobile +60 (0) 174005611 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +60 (0) 174005611 end_of_the_skype_highlighting Skype: Allison_Eddie www.worldfishcenter.org http://www.worldfishcenter.org Reducing poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture
Content 1.Introduction 2.Test data 3.Research Methods 4.Results Analysis 5.Summary 1. Introduction We use MODIS data to inverse the temperature and its spatial distribution in China over the past 10 years. And use the meteorological data to reconstruct the winter temperature anomaly time series of the urban, suburban, countryside and meteorological stations neighborhood in the last 60 years. We find that ： (1) meteorological observatory's temperature records may be affected by urban heat island effect; (2)China temperature fluctuated in the last 60 years and the small fluctuated cycle is about 7 years; (3)On the decade-scale, the biggest decadal temperature increased is 1990s; Although the early 21st century's temperatures is still in the warm period, but it has emerged the downward trend. 2 The Data Used in temperature inversion China Winter Temperature is mainly Controlled by the Siberian cold air, so the temperatures change is more consistent. We can use winter temperature as the indicators of climate change. We use the 20，22，23，29，31，32 bands of MODIS from 2000-2010 to inverse the temperature. The Coordinate system is WGS84, and the spatial resolution is 0.05 degree. We also use Chinese 722 meteorological stations' temperature records 1951-2009 in the study. 3 Temperature inversion Method Flow chart of temperature inversion based on MODIS data Monthly average temperatures uniformity test and revise Using all weather stations' monthly data 1951-2009 to establish November, December, January and Winter average temperature series. We systematically analysis each month's temperature trend and the winter temperature trend, then revise the temperature records. Specific steps are as follows: （1）Converse the 722 weather stations' monthly average temperature records to monthly average temperature anomaly data 1951-2009. （2）Test the conversed temperature data. If the monthly temperature anomaly is larger than +5 ℃ or less than -5 ℃, we will analysis the credibility of the stations' temperature records and correct it. Reconstruct the winter temperature anomaly time series (1)Change Meteorological stations' temperature records into grid temperature data: We mainly use the DEM which spatial resolution is 0.050.05 and the temperature records 1951-2010. The main method is Kriging interpolation. (2)Use MODIS data to inverse the winter average temperature and its spatial distribution 2000-2009. (3) Correct the 1951-2009 temperature which obtained by interpolated the meteorological records based on the temperature spatial distribution matrix . Reconstruct the winter temperature anomaly time series Spatial distribution map of China winter temperature Winter temperature distribution map of 2000 year based on interpolation 4.1 Temperature records affected by Urban heat island effect We use MODIS data to inverse China winter temperature anomaly trends 2000-2009, and find that temperature records affected by Urban heat island effect. Winter temperature anomaly trend in China (3-point sliding average curve) from 2000 to 2010 4.2 Centennial Temperature Variation Analysis Greenland temperatures change chart and the temperature changes in China (Zhu Kezhen, 1973) 4.2 Centennial Temperature Variation Analysis (1) The first two thousand years in Chinese historical five thousand years, the annual average temperature was 2 degrees Celsius higher than now. (2) Cold period started in the first millennium BC (Late Yin, early Zhou Dynasty), four centuries AD (the Six Dynasties), one thousand two hundred years AD (Song Dynasty) and one thousand seven hundred years AD(the Ming and Qing Dynasty). The Han and Tang dynasty was relatively warmer. (3)In each 400 to 800 years, we can separate 50-100 years cycle as a small climate variation cycle, the temperature range form 1 ℃ to 0.5 ℃ . 4.3 Decadal Temperature Variation Analysis Apply the cosine of the grid's latitude as weight，Calculate 1951-2009 China decadal temperature anomaly trend（figure 6）,and find that compared to 1951-1980 average temperature: (1) 1950s and 1960s is the cold period; (2) 1970s -2009 is a warm period, 1990s is the warmest decade of the 20th century ，the maximum of 20th centurys interdecadal temperature range is 0.27 ℃； (3)Although the temperature of the last decade is still higher than the 1951-1980 average temperature, but the temperature has a downward trend. Fig6 Interdecadal temperature anomaly trend in Winter since 1950s in china 4.4 Annual temperature variation analysis Fig7 Chinese winter temperature anomaly change trend from 1951 to 2009 Fig8 Winter temperature anomaly trend of Chinese cities since 1950s 4.4 Annual temperature variation analysis Through comparative analysis two graphs we know that: (1)There is 30 years whose winter temperatures higher than the 1951-1980 average temperature has 30 years, and 29 years less than the average. (2) Chinese temperature fluctuated over the past 60 years and the small fluctuated cycle is about 7 years; (3) Through the regression analysis on the temperature anomaly, we know that in the last 60 years，China temperature rise about 0.2 ℃， city temperature rise about 0.3 ℃ ；City temperature is higher than countryside（4.05 ℃ ）； (4)Since 2000, the temperature variation amplitude decreased，and temperature has a downward trend. Summary (1) The Warming in the last 60 years is a normal phenomenon of climate change. (2) Human activities has some impact on the temperature in some region, such as the urban and suburban is significantly warmer than in countryside. China 60 years temperature variation
Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences Mathematical and Statistical Approaches to Climate Modelling and Prediction 11 August - 22 December 2010 Here is the link: http://www.newton.ac.uk/programmes/CLP/index.html
转载于 包满珠的博客 http://bbs.chla.com.cn/space/?uid=7 下面这篇文章转自华中农业大学南湖新闻网。我本人有同感，所以推荐给大家，也许对广大园林工作者有一定的意义！ 载于《科学》2010年5月7日（方舟子译） 最近一段时间以来对全体科学家、特别是气候科学家的政治攻击愈演愈烈，这让我们深感不安。所有的公民都应该了解一些基本的科学事实。科学结论总会有某些不确定性；科学永远不绝对地证明任何事情。当有人说社会应该等到科学家能绝对地肯定时再采取行动，这等于说社会永远不采取行动。对像气候变化这样的可能造成大灾难的问题来说，不采取行动会让我们的星球冒着危险。科学结论从对基本定律的理解推导而来，受到实验室实验、自然界的观察以及数学和计算机建模的支持。科学家像所有的人一样会犯错误，但是科学过程被设计了寻找并改正错误。这个过程本质上具有对抗性质科学家享有声誉和获得认可，不仅是由于支持传统的学识，更是由于证明科学共识是错误的，存在着更好的解释。那正是伽利略、巴斯德、达尔文和爱因斯坦曾经做过的。但是当某些结论已经过全面和深入的检验、质疑和检查，它们就获得了充分确立的理论的地位，常常被称为事实。 例如，有确凿的科学证据表明我们的星球的年龄大约是45亿年（地球起源理论），我们的宇宙是在大约140亿年前的一次事件中诞生的（大爆炸理论），今天的生物都是从生活在过去的生物进化来的（进化论）。即使是这些被科学界普遍接受的理论，如果有人能够显示它们是错误的，仍然能够一举成名。气候变化现在已归到了这个范畴：有确凿、全面、一致的客观证据表明人类正在改变气候，因此威胁着我们的社会和我们赖以生存的生态系统。 否定气候变化的人士最近对气候科学，以及更令人不安地，对气候科学家的许多攻击，一般是由特殊利益或教条驱使的，而不是诚实地努力提供一个能令人信服地满足证据的另类理论。联合国政府间气候变化委员会（IPCC）和对气候变化的其他科学评估，有数千名科学家参与，产生了大量和全面的报告，也产生了一些错误，这是不出意料和很正常的。在错误被指出之后，就得到了改正。但是最近的这些事件丝毫没有改变有关气候变化的根本结论： （1）由于大气层中温室气体浓度的增加，地球正在变暖。华盛顿一个多雪的冬天并不能改变这个事实。 （2）在过去的一个世纪这些气体浓度的增加大多是由于人类活动引起的，特别是由于燃烧化石燃料和砍伐森林。 （3）自然因素一直对地球气候变化有影响，但是在现在人类导致的变化影响更大。 （4）地球变暖将会导致许多其他气候模式的变化，其变化速度在现代是前所未有的，包括海平面上升的速度和水循环的速度都越来越快。二氧化碳浓度的增加正在让海洋变得更酸性。 （5）这些复杂的气候变化合在一起威胁着海岸社区和城市、食物和水供应、海洋和淡水生态系统、森林、高山环境等等。 世界科学团体、国家科学院和个人能够说的和已经说的要多得多，但是以上这些结论应该已足以表明为什么科学家担心后代将要面临的状况，如果人类所作所为一切照常的话。我们呼吁决策者和公众立即着手解决引起气候变化的问题，包括不受约束地燃烧化石燃料。 我们也呼吁，停止基于含沙射影和株连对我们的同事提出犯罪指控的麦卡锡式威胁，政治家为了避免采取行动借助骚扰科学家来分散注意力，以及散播关于科学家的赤裸裸谎言。社会有两种选择：我们可以无视科学，把头埋在沙中并希望我们有好运，或者我们可以为了公共利益行动起来，迅速和真正地减少全球气候变化的威胁。好消息是，聪明和有效的行动是可能的。但是拖延不可以是一种选择。 Science 7 May 2010: Vol. 328. no. 5979, pp. 689 - 690 DOI: 10.1126/science.328.5979.689 Prev | Table of Contents | Next LETTERS Climate Change and the Integrity of Science We are deeply disturbed by the recent escalation of political assaults on scientists in general and on climate scientists in particular. All citizens should understand some basic scientific facts. There is always some uncertainty associated with scientific conclusions; science never absolutely proves anything. When someone says that society should wait until scientists are absolutely certain before taking any action, it is the same as saying society should never take action. For a problem as potentially catastrophic as climate change, taking no action poses a dangerous risk for our planet.Scientific conclusions derive from an understanding of basic laws supported by laboratory experiments, observations of nature, and mathematical and computer modeling. Like all human beings, scientists make mistakes, but the scientific process is designed to find and correct them. This process is inherently adversarialscientists build reputations and gain recognition not only for supporting conventional wisdom, but even more so for demonstrating that the scientific consensus is wrong and that there is a better explanation. That's what Galileo, Pasteur, Darwin, and Einstein did. But when some conclusions have been thoroughly and deeply tested, questioned, and examined, they gain the status of well-established theories and are often spoken of as facts. For instance, there is compelling scientific evidence that our planet is about 4.5 billion years old (the theory of the origin of Earth), that our universe was born from a single event about 14 billion years ago (the Big Bang theory), and that today's organisms evolved from ones living in the past (the theory of evolution). Even as these are overwhelmingly accepted by the scientific community, fame still awaits anyone who could show these theories to be wrong. Climate change now falls into this category: There is compelling, comprehensive, and consistent objective evidence that humans are changing the climate in ways that threaten our societies and the ecosystems on which we depend. Many recent assaults on climate science and, more disturbingly, on climate scientists by climate change deniers are typically driven by special interests or dogma, not by an honest effort to provide an alternative theory that credibly satisfies the evidence. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other scientific assessments of climate change, which involve thousands of scientists producing massive and comprehensive reports, have, quite expectedly and normally, made some mistakes. When errors are pointed out, they are corrected. But there is nothing remotely identified in the recent events that changes the fundamental conclusions about climate change: (i) The planet is warming due to increased concentrations of heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere. A snowy winter in Washington does not alter this fact. (ii) Most of the increase in the concentration of these gases over the last century is due to human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. (iii) Natural causes always play a role in changing Earth's climate, but are now being overwhelmed by human-induced changes. (iv) Warming the planet will cause many other climatic patterns to change at speeds unprecedented in modern times, including increasing rates of sea-level rise and alterations in the hydrologic cycle. Rising concentrations of carbon dioxide are making the oceans more acidic. (v) The combination of these complex climate changes threatens coastal communities and cities, our food and water supplies, marine and freshwater ecosystems, forests, high mountain environments, and far more. Much more can be, and has been, said by the world's scientific societies, national academies, and individuals, but these conclusions should be enough to indicate why scientists are concerned about what future generations will face from business-as-usual practices. We urge our policy-makers and the public to move forward immediately to address the causes of climate change, including the un restrained burning of fossil fuels. We also call for an end to McCarthy-like threats of criminal prosecution against our colleagues based on innuendo and guilt by association, the harassment of scientists by politicians seeking distractions to avoid taking action, and the outright lies being spread about them. Society has two choices: We can ignore the science and hide our heads in the sand and hope we are lucky, or we can act in the public interest to reduce the threat of global climate change quickly and substantively. The good news is that smart and effective actions are possible. But delay must not be an option. P. H. Gleick,* R. M. Adams, R. M. Amasino, E. Anders, D. J. Anderson, W. W. Anderson, L. E. Anselin, M. K. Arroyo, B. Asfaw, F. J. Ayala, A. Bax, A. J. Bebbington, G. Bell, M. V. L. Bennett, J. L. Bennetzen, M. R. Berenbaum, O. B. Berlin, P. J. Bjorkman, E. Blackburn, J. E. Blamont, M. R. Botchan, J. S. Boyer, E. A. Boyle, D. Branton, S. P. Briggs, W. R. Briggs, W. J. Brill, R. J. Britten, W. S. Broecker, J. H. Brown, P. O. Brown, A. T. Brunger, J. Cairns, Jr., D. E. Canfield, S. R. Carpenter, J. C. Carrington, A. R. Cashmore, J. C. Castilla, A. Cazenave, F. S. Chapin, III, A. J. Ciechanover, D. E. Clapham, W. C. Clark, R. N. Clayton, M. D. Coe, E. M. Conwell, E. B. Cowling, R. M Cowling, C. S. Cox, R. B. Croteau, D. M. Crothers, P. J. Crutzen, G. C. Daily, G. B. Dalrymple, J. L. Dangl, S. A. Darst, D. R. Davies, M. B. Davis, P. V. de Camilli, C. Dean, R. S. Defries, J. Deisenhofer, D. P. Delmer, E. F. Delong, D. J. Derosier, T. O. Diener, R. Dirzo, J. E. Dixon, M. J. Donoghue, R. F. Doolittle, T. Dunne, P. R. Ehrlich, S. N. Eisenstadt, T. Eisner, K. A. Emanuel, S. W. Englander, W. G. Ernst, P. G. Falkowski, G. Feher, J. A. Ferejohn, A. Fersht, E. H. Fischer, R. Fischer, K. V. Flannery, J. Frank, P. A. Frey, I. Fridovich, C. Frieden, D. J. Futuyma, W. R. Gardner, C. J. R. Garrett, W. Gilbert, R. B. Goldberg, W. H. Goodenough, C. S. Goodman, M. Goodman, P. Greengard, S. Hake, G. Hammel, S. Hanson, S. C. Harrison, S. R. Hart, D. L. Hartl, R. Haselkorn, K. Hawkes, J. M. Hayes, B. Hille, T. H?kfelt, J. S. House, M. Hout, D. M. Hunten, I. A. Izquierdo, A. T. Jagendorf, D. H. Janzen, R. Jeanloz, C. S. Jencks, W. A. Jury, H. R. Kaback, T. Kailath, P. Kay, S. A. Kay, D. Kennedy, A. Kerr, R. C. Kessler, G. S. Khush, S. W. Kieffer, P. V. Kirch, K. Kirk, M. G. Kivelson, J. P. Klinman, A. Klug, L. Knopoff, H. Kornberg, J. E. Kutzbach, J. C. Lagarias, K. Lambeck, A. Landy, C. H. Langmuir, B. A. Larkins, X. T. Le Pichon, R. E. Lenski, E. B. Leopold, S. A. Levin, M. Levitt, G. E. Likens, J. Lippincott-Schwartz, L. Lorand, C. O. Lovejoy, M. Lynch, A. L. Mabogunje, T. F. Malone, S. Manabe, J. Marcus, D. S. Massey, J. C. McWilliams, E. Medina, H. J. Melosh, D. J. Meltzer, C. D. Michener, E. L. Miles, H. A. Mooney, P. B. Moore, F. M. M. Morel, E. S. Mosley-Thompson, B. Moss, W. H. Munk, N. Myers, G. B. Nair, J. Nathans, E. W. Nester, R. A. Nicoll, R. P. Novick, J. F. O'Connell, P. E. Olsen, N. D. Opdyke, G. F. Oster, E. Ostrom, N. R. Pace, R. T. Paine, R. D. Palmiter, J. Pedlosky, G. A. Petsko, G. H. Pettengill, S. G. Philander, D. R. Piperno, T. D. Pollard, P. B. Price, Jr., P. A. Reichard, B. F. Reskin, R. E. Ricklefs, R. L. Rivest, J. D. Roberts, A. K. Romney, M. G. Rossmann, D. W. Russell, W. J. Rutter, J. A. Sabloff, R. Z. Sagdeev, M. D. Sahlins, A. Salmond, J. R. Sanes, R. Schekman, J. Schellnhuber, D. W. Schindler, J. Schmitt, S. H. Schneider, V. L. Schramm, R. R. Sederoff, C. J. Shatz, F. Sherman, R. L. Sidman, K. Sieh, E. L. Simons, B. H. Singer, M. F. Singer, B. Skyrms, N. H. Sleep, B. D. Smith, S. H. Snyder, R. R. Sokal, C. S. Spencer, T. A. Steitz, K. B. Strier, T. C. Sdhof, S. S. Taylor, J. Terborgh, D. H. Thomas, L. G. Thompson, R. T. TJian, M. G. Turner, S. Uyeda, J. W. Valentine, J. S. Valentine, J. L. van Etten, K. E. van Holde, M. Vaughan, S. Verba, P. H. von Hippel, D. B. Wake, A. Walker, J. E. Walker, E. B. Watson, P. J. Watson, D. Weigel, S. R. Wessler, M. J. West-Eberhard, T. D. White, W. J. Wilson, R. V. Wolfenden, J. A. Wood, G. M. Woodwell, H. E. Wright, Jr., C. Wu, C. Wunsch, M. L. Zoback * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: petergleick@pacinst.org Notes 1. The signatories are all members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences but are not speaking on its behalf. 2. Signatory affiliations are available as supporting material at www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/328/5979/689/DC1 .
After months of behind the scenes negotiations, Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joe Lieberman (I-VT) unveiled their climate and energy bill, the American Power Act (APA), on May 12. The draft bill aims to reduce carbon emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and by over 80 percent in 2050 through a cap and refund regime, which would return two-thirds of revenues not dedicated to reducing the nations deficit back to consumers with the rest spent on ensuring a smooth transition for American businesses and investing in projects and technologies to reduce emissions and advance our energy security. Below is a summary of APA provisions of interest to the research community. Climate Change Research and Adaptation Provisions APA provides less direction and financial support for climate change research and adaptation activities than its House counterpart, the Waxman-Markey bill. This is largely attributed to the fact that many of the Senate Committees that have jurisdiction of pieces of climate and energy legislation have not yet inserted their respective provisions into the Kerry-Lieberman draft. Climate Services The Senate bill does not include a provision establishing a national climate service, or even a climate service program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Waxman-Markey includes language that would establish a 3-year process for creating a trans-agency national climate service as well as a climate service program within NOAA. The Senate Commerce Committee has been working on language for the last several months to develop a national climate service; however, it appears that the current APA draft does not include the Commerce Committees contributions. It remains to be seen if or when the Committee will insert its provisions into the larger package; the Committee is said to be waiting on indication from leadership that APA will receive floor time this spring or summer. Global Change Research Unlike the Waxman-Markey bill in the House, the Senate bill does not include reauthorization of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). Again, the Senate Commerce Committee has been working on USGCRP reauthorization legislative over the last several months. It remains to be seen if the Committee will include its provisions into the Senate bill. Natural Resources Adaptation The Senate bill includes nearly identical language to Waxman-Markey pertaining to natural resources adaptation. The provisions would establish a Natural Resources Climate Change Adaptation Panel responsible for developing a national strategy to assess the vulnerability of natural resources to climate change and identify protocols and actions for adaptation. Both bills would also codify the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Centers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within DOI and require the Centers and NOAA to work together on providing technical assistance and sponsor research to address natural resources adaptation to climate change. NOAA and DOI would appoint a Science Advisory Board, which could include representatives from universities, to advise on the state of the science as it relates to natural resources adaptation. Additionally, states would be eligible to receive funding to assist in adaptation efforts by preparing state natural resources adaptation plans. International Adaptation APA includes a nearly identical section to Waxman-Markey on the creation of an International Climate Change Adaptation Program. The Senate bill is slightly more inclusive by including the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture, in addition to the Department of State, Department of Treasury, USAID, and EPA which were included in the House bill, in the program to provide assistance to countries vulnerable to climate change. Funds through this program could be used to promote resiliency and adaptation to water scarcity; enhance diversification of agriculture, fishery and other livelihoods; support disaster risk management; assist in the development of sustainable infrastructure; and promote healthy and productive marine and coastal ecosystems. Other Adaptation Activities Unlike Waxman-Markey, the Senate bill does not include a general state adaptation program, which would allow for funding to states to build resiliency to climate change, nor does it include a section on the public health implications of climate change. Fast Mitigation The Senate draft includes a section that is not included in Waxman-Markey relating to options for fast mitigation of climate change. The bill calls for the establishment of an interagency process to review existing and potential policies and measures that promote fast mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. The process would include recommendations on what further steps should be taken to implement fast mitigation measures. The bill specifically discusses hydrofluorocarbons, black carbon, and international methane.
http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/act-for-our-future/species-panda.html Climate Change Impacts on the Giant Panda With fewer than 2,500 adult giant pandas in the wild, the species is categorized as endangered on the IUCNs (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. While todays giant pandas are largely safe from the historic threat of poaching, their populations at least until recently have continued to decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation, primarily as a result of development. Jenny Jonak/WWF-US Access to the giant pandas primary source of food, bamboo, may become restricted as the basin of Chinas Yangtze River is increasingly affected by climate change. The Yangtze River basin is projected to undergo warming trends, higher levels of CO2 and more extreme weather events (Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2009). These changes are expected to result in an increase in forest pests and diseases and may impact the production of some forest species (Yangtze Conservation and Development Report 2009). If these changes subsequently result in decreased bamboo production there will be less food available for the giant panda. Learn more about giant pandas Sources Sources: Loucks, C.J., Z. L, E. Dinserstein, W. Dajun, F. Dali and W. Hao. 2003. The giant pandas of the Qinling Mountains, China: a case study in designing conservation landscapes for elevational migrants. Conservation Biology 17(2):558-565. Loucks, C.J., Z. L, E. Dinserstein, H. Wang, D.M. Olson, C. Zhu and D. Wang. 2001. Giant pandas in a changing landscape. Science 294(13):1465. L, Z, D. Wang and D.L. Garshelis. 2008. Ailuropoda melanoleuca . In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Accessed on 11 May 2009. McClean, C. and J. Lovett. 2008. Bamboos and climate change in China: preliminary report . University of York, England. 27 pp. Accessed on 12 May 2009. Xu, W., X. Wang, Z. Ouyang, J. Zhang, Z. Li, Y. Xiao and H. Zheng. In press. Conservation of giant panda habitat in South Minshan, China, after the May 2008 earthquake. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, July 27, 2009 e-View. Yangtze Conservation and Development Report , 2009. China Academy of Sciences, et al. Executive Summary in English. Accessed on 8 May 2009. Youde, C., Z. Jinna and Y. Ming. 2007. The green heart of China: integrated landscape conservation and sustainable development in giant panda ranges in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. WWF China. 18 pp. Zhang, B., M. Li, Z. Zhang, B. Goossens, L. Zhu, S. Zhang, J. Hu, M. Bruford and F. Wei. 2007. Genetic viability and population history of the giant panda, putting an end to the evolutionary dead end? Molecular Biology and Evolution. 24(8):1801-1810. Impacts on species around the globe Polar Bears African Lions Whales and Dolphins Penguins Reef-building Corals Marine Turtles
标签: Climate
