Kilowatt Ours Interviews
James Hansen - Director, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
"The most exciting planetary
research involves trying to understand the climate change on earth that will
result from anthropogenic changes of the atmospheric composition.One of my research interests is radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres. Such data, appropriately analyzed, may provide one of our most
effective ways to monitor and study global change on the earth. I am also interested in the development and application of global numerical
models for the purpose of understanding current climate trends and projecting
humans' potential impacts on climate. The scientific excitement in comparing
theory with data, and developing some understanding of global changes that are
occurring, is what makes all the other stuff worth it. "
James Hansen - Part One
Chapter Three
- Overwhelmingly the gasses are increasing due to the burning of fossil fuels, although some due to other conditions.
- Globe has warmed by 1.8 degrees already and there is another degree in the pipeline that we can't stop.
- Business as usual will exceed five degrees global warming.
- I don't agree at all that taking action to reduce global warming would be economically harmful. Actually it will be economically beneficial in the long run.
James Hansen - Part Two
Chapter Three
- There are some incredible measurements that are now being made by satellite. For example the satellite Grace is showing that there has been major melting of Greenland.
- If we want to preserve our planet that resembles what we have inherited, we must take action to reverse our current course.
- The ocean has large thermal inertia so some of that warming should occur soon but much during the next century.
James Hansen - Part Three
Chapter Three
- Climate changes that happen when the earth is getting warmer happens much faster than when it is cooling.
- By 2015 we will be past the time when we can reverse the process. Global warming is not a gloom and doom if we act now.
- Improved technologies will produce high tech and high paid jobs. For the people at large it makes sense, but for those in the fossil fuels industries are the major retractors.
Relevant Links:
- NASA.gov: James Hansen
