Global climate change and agriculture: An economic perspective

Conference · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 UTC 1989 · American Journal of Agricultural Economics; (USA)

OSTI ID:5875213

Adams, R M ^[1]

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1. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, (USA)

Climate change and related global concerns dominate the current environmental agenda, as evidenced by the recent wave of articles, symposia, workshops, and other scientific and lay forums dealing with this issue. While most atmospheric scientists agree that a climate change signal has yet to be detected, concern over potential climate change arising from increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}), methane (CH{sub 4}), chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other greenhouse gases is motivating substantial funding increases for such research. Climate change is thus likely to be a major research and policy issue well into the next decade. Scientific interest in climate change is not a recent phenomenon; research on the relationship between CO{sub 2}, climate, and man dates back at least to 1895. Despite substantial uncertainties in their understanding of climate change cause and effects, a scientific consensus has emerged about some aspects of this phenomenon: CO{sub 2} and other trace gases are increasing, and these increases will at some point alter the world's climate. Forecasts of climate change from general circulation models (GCMs) indicate that a doubling of atmospheric CO{sub 2} will increase global average temperature from 1.5 to 4.5 degrees celsius ({degree}C), as well as alter precipitation amounts and frequency.

• OSTI ID: 5875213
• Report Number(s): CONF-8907184--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: American Journal of Agricultural Economics; (USA) Journal Volume: 71:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110
540210* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
AGRICULTURE
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CLIMATE MODELS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FREONS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRY
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS