In light of the recent discussion on the list, people may find McKibben's piece in Rolling Stone as an accessible way in for students.
Global Warming's Terrifying New Math: Three simple numbers that add up to global catastrophe - and that make clear who the real enemy is by: Bill McKibben http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-mat h-20120719?print=true I particularly like his analogy, halfway through: "Which is exactly why this new number, 2,795 gigatons, is such a big deal. Think of two degrees Celsius as the legal drinking limit - equivalent to the 0.08 blood-alcohol level below which you might get away with driving home. The 565 gigatons is how many drinks you could have and still stay below that limit - the six beers, say, you might consume in an evening. And the 2,795 gigatons? That's the three 12-packs the fossil-fuel industry has on the table, already opened and ready to pour." And, while we are on the subject of alcoholic analogies, there is an apocryphal story that Edward Abbey (ecosaboteur novelist - of Monkey Wrench Gang fame) was being interviewed while driving down the highway by Jann Wenner (editor of Rolling Stone at the time). Abbey was drinking a six-pack as they drove, heaving the cans out the window as he finished each. Wenner asked ".but I thought you were an environmentalist." Abbey responded, allegedly, "I am a whole lot more concerned about the road beside the beer-can then I am about the beer-can beside the road." Ron On 2012-08-05, at 1:27 PM, VanDeveer, Stacy wrote: Hi all, I got a question from a summer school student, and I am trying to find the 'consensus' answer in IPCC documents and I seem to be finding different numbers. So here is the question: The IPCC estimates that global emissions must fall by how much, to stabilize the climate systems during this century. Are the best estimates from the 2007 report (which gives quite large ranges for each of four warming scenarios)?? Stacy D. VanDeveer Associate Professor University of New Hampshire Dept. of Political Science Horton SSC Durham, NH 03824 USA <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] tel: fax: mobile: Skype ID: <http://www.plaxo.com/click_to_call?lang=en&src=jj_signature&To=%28%2B1%29+6 03%2D862%2D0167&[email protected]> (+1) 603-862-0167 (+1) 603-862-0178 <http://www.plaxo.com/click_to_call?lang=en&src=jj_signature&To=%28%2B1%29+7 81%2D321%2D5880&[email protected]> (+1) 781-321-5880 stacy.d.vandeveer <https://www.plaxo.com/add_me?u=51539758810&src=client_sig_212_1_banner_join &invite=1&lang=en> Want to always have my latest info? <http://www.plaxo.com/signature?src=client_sig_212_1_banner_sig&lang=en> Want a signature like this? <image001.jpg>
