Mary Glackin's List: GlobalWarming

"The U.S. Southeast and the Bahamas will be pounded by more very intense hurricanes in the coming decades due to global warming, a new computer model suggests.

Warmer sea surface temperatures—which fuel hurricanes—and shifting wind patterns are expected to strengthen the storms, the study says."

"Global warming is causing powerful hurricanes to become even more intense, a new study says.

Warmer seawater has boosted the average wind speed of powerful hurricanes from 140 miles (225 kilometers) an hour in 1981 to 157 miles (253 kilometers) an hour in 2007, according to the study's lead author, geographer James Elsner of Florida State University."

"A renewable-energy "oasis" slated to be built in 2010 may serve as a proving ground for new technologies designed to bring green living to the desert.

The planned research center is part of the Sahara Forest Project—but that doesn't mean it'll be built in Africa. Sahara means "desert" in Arabic, and the center is meant to be a small-scale version of massive green complexes that project managers hope to build in deserts around the globe."

"Our Energy Future: Science and Technology Challenges for the 21st Century

Chemist Thomas Meyer, director of the Solar Energy Research Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, discusses the status of the world’s energy supply. In particular, he presents the idea that the sun’s energy could be used to make fuels from water and carbon dioxide for heating, transportation and energy storage. (September 24, 2009)

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"Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management Systems

Alex Huang, professor of electrical engineering and director of the FREEDM Systems Center at North Carolina State University, talks about research on new electric grid technologies that could better utilize renewable energy sources, and the role of plug-in hybrid cars in such a grid system. (November 24, 2009)"

"Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world today. Long-term development planning must now include measures to deal with it."

"Here are the slides from the energy symposium at Sigma Xi’s Annual Meeting and International Research Conference. Clicking on the thumbnails will open presentations in pdf format."

"Subhankar Banerjee/Associated Press

Updated Dec. 8, 2009

By ANDREW C. REVKIN

Overview

Global warming has become perhaps the most complicated issue facing world leaders. On the one hand, warnings from the scientific community are becoming louder, as an increasing body of science points to rising dangers from the ongoing buildup of human-related greenhouse gases — produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels and forests. On the other, the technological, economic and political issues that have to be resolved before a concerted worldwide effort to reduce emissions can begin have gotten no simpler, particularly in the face of a global economic slowdown.

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"n her recent floor speech attacking the Clean Air Act as a tool to protect Americans from global warming, Senator Lisa Murkowski made error after error on how the nation’s most successful pollution control law works, how it will affect the country’s biggest sources of heat-trapping carbon pollution, and what it means and does not mean for companies in her own state. "

"EPA's Climate Change Site offers comprehensive information on the issue of climate change in a way that is accessible and meaningful to all parts of society – communities, individuals, business, states and localities, and governments."

"Summary: The international climate conference in Copenhagen ended with a watered-down agreement that some observers believe will be ineffective in slowing global warming. During the meeting, the U.S. agreed to contribute funds to help poorer countries deal with climate change. The European Union pledged $3 billion in such aid starting next year.

Prior to the conference, a report found that an overall global warming trend is continuing and another study suggested that the steps needed to slow, or reverse, it will cost trillions of dollars.

Separately, three lawmakers in this country have unveiled new climate change legislation in an effort to break a Congressional roadblock."