Climate Change and Global Warming: Effects of the Sun, Atmosphere, and Oceans

Olympia, WA, 30 June - 2 July 2007

Chautauqua workshop by Dr. E.J.Zita, The Evergreen State College, SEM II B 1105

Participants

Description: Global climate change is coupled with changes in the total Earth system. This course will provide an introduction to the Earth as an integrated system, in the context of climate change. The coupled ocean-atmosphere circulation, the natural variability of weather and climate, variations in Earth’s orbit and the Sun’s luminosity, and biogeochemical cycling of carbon and essential life elements are important factors in this system.

Human-made (anthropogenic) perturbations of the Earth system, such as global climate change due to greenhouse gases, will be considered in some detail.  We will consider evidence for global climate change, including isotope ratios; impacts of global warming, as observed and as predicted; and mitigation options, personal and political.  Global climate change is coupled with changes in the total Earth system; we will explore key couplings and feedback mechanisms.

Climate perturbations due to greenhouse gases, and the relative effects of aerosols, solar luminosity fluctuations, and other phenomena, will be explored and compared, qualitatively and quantitatively.  Of particular interest is the increased frequency of extreme weather events (droughts, floods, heat waves, hurricanes, tornadoes) in relation to the predictions of climate change models.   Possible policy responses, both local and global, will be discussed.  Lessons from the Montreal Protocol (CFCs and ozone) and Kyoto and recent conferences will be presented, with workshop and discussion on how to slow global climate change.                        
           

For college teachers of: science, engineering, and public policy. High school teachers are welcomed on a space-available basis. Prerequisites: none.

~ THIS WEBPAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ~
kump

Our primary text will probably be The Earth System (2d ed.) by Lee R. Kump, James F. Kasting, Robert G. Crane, pub. Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2004

This is an excellent multidisciplinary text. We will try to have copies available at Evergreen's bookstore, or you may prefer to bring one with you.

We will also use journal articles and parts of the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. The Summaries for Policymakers are a good place to start.

We will supplement with information from Rich Wolfson's brand new text, Energy, Environment, and Climate.

We will set up online networking for participants to share resources electronically.

Participants:

Presentations and w orkshops:

lectures - 2008 lectures - 2007 lectures from 2006
workshops - 2008 workshops - 2007 workshops from 2006

Links: Pacala & Socolow's Stabilization Wedges

2008 handouts 2007 handouts 2006 links

Articles:

Books:

Housing: We have reserved a block of rooms at the nearby Extended Stay on Highway 101. To reserve your room at the per diem rate of $80 per night, please call Extended Stay directly at 360-754-6063, and ask for the rooms for the Evergreen conference. (Thank you Sheryl D. for arranging these rooms.)

Contacts: For questions about this workshop, please contact Zita(at)evergreen.edu

For help with Chautauqua registration, please contact Anthony Irving, UW Chautauqua director: irving(at)concentric.net.