Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
eral millennia. Indeed, some effects of 21st century human choices would
contribute to climate change for more than 100,000 years. {2.1, 3.2}
3
One way of informing these choices is to consider the projected climate
changes and impacts that would occur if greenhouse gases increase to par-
ticular concentration levels and then stabilize, as highlighted in the State-
ment of Task (see Appendix A). Alternative futures then can be represented
by a broad range of atmospheric concentration “target” levels (hereafter
referred to as stabilization targets). The committee was charged to evaluate
different stabilization targets with particular emphasis on the avoidance of
serious or irreversible impacts on Earth's climate system. This report does
not evaluate the plausibility of any stabilization target, nor does it make any
recommendations regarding desirable or “safe” targets.
It should be emphasized that choosing among different targets is a policy
issue rather than strictly a scientific one, because such choices involve
questions of values, e.g., regarding how much risk to people or to nature
might be considered too much. Some climate changes could be beneficial
for some people or regions, while being damaging to others.
The primary challenge for this study is to quantify, insofar as possible,
the outcomes of different stabilization targets using analyses and informa-
tion drawn from the scientific literature. Expected changes based on broad
scientific understanding are discussed, as well as projected values based
upon models. Where there is sufficient understanding to be quantitative,
numerical values for projected climate change and impacts are provided as
a function of stabilization target. A number of important aspects of climate
change that are currently understood in a qualitative manner, or for which
the time horizon of the response is poorly constrained, are also reviewed.
The report represents a brief summary of a vast scientific literature and seeks
to be illustrative and representative rather than comprehensive. Special
emphasis is placed on climate changes and impacts in North America and
the United States.
The report focuses on human forcing of the climate system from car-
bon dioxide emissions and rising atmospheric concentrations because of
the dominant role and unique influences of carbon dioxide on long-term
climate change. The role of other anthropogenic greenhouse gases, such
as methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbon, and aerosols are also briefly
discussed. For many purposes, the total radiative forcing of the suite of
anthropogenic greenhouse gases and aerosols can be cast in terms of an
3
Throughout this summary and the technical overview presented in the next section, num-
bers in curly brackets refer to sections of the main report where details and references are to
be found.
