The greenhouse effect: The application of upwelling/diffusion models and poliltical decision making

Peter Laut, Jesper Gundermann

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearch

    Abstract

    This presentation is an attempt to build a bridge from science to political decision making. In the worldwide process of preparing and following up the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), which will be held in Brazil in June 1992, it is likely that the urge to find a convincing basis for decision making in order to counter climatic change will become evere more acute. Even though most governments may agree that something should be done, many disagree over the extent, the pace, and the acceptable costs of action. Is it, for example, sufficient to follow the recommendation of the 1988 conference in Toronto on "The Changing Atmosphere" and reduce global CO2 emissions by 20% until year 2005, or is it vital for the future of the World to reduce emissions at a much quicker pace? And how do we compare reductions of different greenhouse gases by different amounts, implemented over different time spans?The present paper seeks to contribute to the creation of a more convincing an operational basis for decision making. The authors recommend the application of calculated profiles of realized global warming or avoided global warming as a direct and comprehensible way of comparing different options for reducing emissions. Computed results for two selected global and two national scenarios are presented.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationCLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY POLICY
    Place of PublicationNew York
    PublisherAmerican Institute of Physics
    Publication date1992
    Pages457-468
    Publication statusPublished - 1992
    EventGlobal Climate Change: Its Mitigation Through Improved Production and Use of Energy - Las Alamos, New Mexico, USA
    Duration: 1 Jan 1994 → …

    Conference

    ConferenceGlobal Climate Change: Its Mitigation Through Improved Production and Use of Energy
    CityLas Alamos, New Mexico, USA
    Period01/01/1994 → …

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