The great climate debate

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Scientific American; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0790-36· OSTI ID:5397662

White, R M ^[1]

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1. National Academy of Engineering (USA)

There is no doubt that human activity is increasing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Whether that spells sweeping global climate change is still much debated. Should we act to blunt the impact in the face of this uncertainty The authors thinks so. The paper presents data on the rise in atmospheric CO{sub 2}; projected rises in CO{sub 2}, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluoro-carbons; the changing pattern of global CO{sub 2} emissions from North America, USSR and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Developing Countries, and others; the results of 3 computer models of climate change; and the contribution to global warming from various human activities.

• OSTI ID: 5397662
• Journal Information: Scientific American; (United States), Vol. 263:1; ISSN 0036-8733
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
DECISION MAKING
AGRICULTURE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CLIMATE MODELS
CLIMATES
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EMISSION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
EUROPE
FOSSIL FUELS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
HEATING
INDUSTRY
LAND USE
METHANE
NITROUS OXIDE
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HYDROCARBONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects