Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
earth. Climate scientists explain that this will lead to many predictable
changes, such as global warming, higher and more variable precipita-
tion, drying in midcontinental regions, acidifi cation of the oceans, and
amplifi cation of warming at the poles.
But we also are likely to encounter surprises, and some of them will
be nasty. Perhaps winters in the Northern Hemisphere will become much
snowier. Perhaps hurricanes will intensify greatly and change their
storm tracks. Perhaps the giant Greenland Ice Sheet will begin to melt
rapidly. Perhaps the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which sits on the seabed,
might disintegrate rapidly and slide into the ocean.
Subsequent parts of this topic examine the results of climate changes
as they move downstream to affect human and natural systems; the
potential steps to slow climate change; and the use of science and econo-
mics to produce an integrated analysis of policies to address the challenge.
Finally, we must also recognize that climate-change science and
policies must extend beyond pure science. They involve winners and
losers, burden sharing, and bargaining. Because these issues entail gov-
ernment actions—particularly cooperation among governments—they
also engage people's deeply held political beliefs about the proper role
and size of government. And all these are subject to the infl uence of
money, results-oriented analysis, political action committees, and ad-
vocacy groups. Climate change is no longer just geophysics and ecology;
it has become economics and politics. So in the very last part, I examine
the narrative surrounding climate change, the critiques, and ultimately
how a concerned citizen should view the contentious debates.
