posted July 10, 2007
) Photo by John Wilson Dr. Dawn Richards spoke on global warming |
"It is kind of like we are running out of time. Action is needed soon," Dr. Dawn Richards said.
The speaker, who said she has visited Antartica and other polar regions and seen frightening levels of glacial melting, said carbon dioxide levels around the earth "are getting higher and higher."
She said scientists are almost 100 percent agreed that global warming is a real danger, though she said many articles in the popular press still cast doubt on it.
The speaker said high quantities of carbon dioxide have been poured into the atmosphere since the start of the industrial age and great sections of forests that helped curb that CO2 have been cut.
"There is an increasing insulation level" around the earth that is bringing higher and higher temperatures, she said.
Dr. Richards said 2005 was the warmest year on record, and 10 of the past 14 years have been among the hottest.
She said in Alaska the permafront is melting, causing some buildings to collapse.
She said at the polar caps "there are some very rapid changes going on. It is very alarming."
Dr. Richards said if there is major melting that it could raise ocean levels significantly and threaten cities like Bejiing, China. She said there might be a need to relocate up to 10 million people.
She said the U.S. is by far the largest contributor to global warming because of the high standard of living here and the industrialization. But she said the U.S. has not signed the Kyoto compact dealing with global warming. She said some states and cities, including Chattanooga, have gone ahead and signed.
Dr. Richards said, "We are the ones who are dragging our feet the most."
She said the growth of world population is a main factor, saying it is due to reach nine billion by 2050. It is already at 6.5 billion.
Dr. Richards said technology is available to help curb global warming. She said, "Technology can help us or hurt us."
She said Americans should focus on energy efficiency. "Don't drive when you don't need to drive."
She said there is hope for dealing with the issue, noting that steps were taken when there was a problem with a hole in the ozone level. "That is healing itself," she said.
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