climatesolutions-l July 2013

climatesolutions-l@uleth.ca

5 participants
9 discussions

Climate Communication - AGU Submission request
by Courtney St John 31 Jul '13

31 Jul '13

Hi James, Are you able to send the below AGU announcement to the Chapman list? Many thanks, Courtney Background: NH005 Climate Change Effects on Natural Hazards: Science, Communication and Policy session is jointly sponsored by the NSF “Decision Making Under Uncertainty Collaborative Groups”. This session is a “Characterizing Uncertainty” SWIRL session, and sponsored by the Natural Hazards (NH), Global Environmental Change (GEC), Atmospheric Sciences (AS), and Societal Impacts + Policy (SP) focus groups. SWIRL Sessions fall under five themes aimed at promoting interdisciplinary collaboration at the Fall Meeting. Deadline: The deadline for abstract submission is August 6, 2013 , 23:59 EDT (+1 GMT). Website & registration: http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2013/ . Presenters must be AGU members. Please email Kelly Klima and Courtney St. John (contact info below) with any questions. Description: All scientific bodies of national or international standing accept the finding of anthropogenic climate change. Scientists have tested possible links between climate change and extreme weather events, and found that climate change will likely increase the probability of some events including heat waves, heavy precipitation events, and local flooding. Some of these effects may already be occurring. This session will discuss extreme weather events, primary and secondary climate change effects on other natural hazards, and the societal impacts from these conditions. Improving our understanding of these uncertainties and how people make decisions may help inform risk communication and policy choices. Confirmed invited presenters : · Joshua Elliott, Center for Robust Decision Making on Climate and Energy Policy ( RDCEP ) , University of Chicago · David Krantz, Center for Research on Environmental Decisions ( CRED ) , Columbia University · M. Granger Morgan, Climate and Energy Decision Making Center ( CEDM ) , Carnegie Mellon University · Dave D. White, Decision Center for a Desert City ( DCDC ) , Arizona State University Conveners: Kelly Klima kklima(a)andrew.cmu.edu Climate and Energy Decision Making Center Research Scientist, Carnegie Mellon University http://www.epp.cmu.edu/ Courtney St. John cstjohn(a)ei.columbia.edu Center for Research on Environmental Decisions Earth Institute, Columbia University http://cred.columbia.edu Courtney St. John Associate Director of Outreach Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED) Earth Institute / Columbia University 212.854.8384 / CRED on the Web

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Climate Communication - FW: AGU Fall Meeting GC029. Cutting-Edge Challenges in Climate Change Science
by Byrne, James 30 Jul '13

30 Jul '13

Dear colleagues, Please consider participating in this session on leading edge challenges in climate science. Abstracts are due by August 6. GC029. Cutting-Edge Challenges in Climate Change Science Description: This session seeks to organize and bring together presentations that overview the most pressing issues and concerns surrounding global climate change. It is intended to highlight well-recognized problems and underscore new and pressing developments in climate research. We are seeking abstracts identifying, defining and addressing a critical issue in climate science, possibly including but not limited to geoengineering, key regional impacts, short-lived greenhouse gases, fast vs. slow feedbacks, paleoclimate reconstructions and ice sheet contributions to sea level rise. Bringing these discussions together at this time is a critical endeavor as the challenges are often interactive and/or interdependent. <https://fallmeeting.agu.org/2013/scientific-program/session-search/sessions…> Conveners: 1. Simon Donner University of British Columbia simon.donner(a)gmail.com<mailto:simon.donner@gmail.com> 2. James Byrne University of Lethbridge byrne(a)uleth.ca<mailto:byrne@uleth.ca> 3. Philip Rasch Pacific Northwest National Lab philip.rasch(a)pnl.gov<mailto:philip.rasch@pnl.gov> 4. Michael Mann Penn State mann(a)psu.edu<mailto:mann@psu.edu>

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Climate Communication - FW: AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts Call: GC028. Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
by Byrne, James 30 Jul '13

30 Jul '13

Are you working on climate adaptation and/or mitigation? Please join us and submit your abstract to the Fall AGU Meeting in session GC028. GC028. Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Description: Society and the research community lack organization, collaboration and cooperation needed for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and all parties are seriously lacking resources and human capacity. Advanced education, a primary source of research capacity and the foundation for the development of human capacity, is currently suffering serious resource losses. This session seeks to highlight current work on adaptation and mitigation, and welcomes abstracts addressing the ways and means to move forward efficiently on global and regional climate change mitigation and adaptation. Conveners: 1. James Byrne University of Lethbridge byrne(a)uleth.ca<mailto:byrne@uleth.ca> 2. Michael Mann Penn State mann(a)psu.edu<mailto:mann@psu.edu> 3. Simon Donner University of British Columbia simon.donner(a)gmail.com<mailto:simon.donner@gmail.com> 4. Philip Rasch Pacific Northwest National Lab philip.rasch(a)pnl.gov<mailto:philip.rasch@pnl.gov>

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Climate Communication - FW: AGU Fall Meeting Abstract Call: ED029. New directions in climate communication and education
by Byrne, James 30 Jul '13

30 Jul '13

Please consider submitting your education abstract to ED029. New directions in climate communication and education Description: The recent Chapman Conference ‘Communicating Climate Science: A Historic Look to the Future’ (June 2013) discussed directions, ideas and initiatives on better ways and means of communication and education on climate. The meeting reviewed previous experiences, discussed current opportunities and developed a range of ideas on how the climate community might better deliver messages to society, policy makers, stakeholders and educators. This session will outline some results of the conference, touching upon lessons learned in previous efforts, use of new media, messages, messaging, perception of information, and the importance of understanding the audiences of climate information. We invite submissions on these and related topics. Conveners: 1. Philip Rasch Pacific Northwest National Lab philip.rasch(a)pnl.gov<mailto:philip.rasch@pnl.gov> 2. Natasha Andronova UM Atm, Oce & Spc Sci natand(a)umich.edu<mailto:natand@umich.edu> 3. James Byrne University of Lethbridge byrne(a)uleth.ca<mailto:byrne@uleth.ca> 4. Mark McCaffrey National Center for Science Ed mccaffrey(a)ncse.com<mailto:mccaffrey@ncse.com>

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Climate Communication - The Melody of Global Warming
by Melanie Fitzpatrick 19 Jul '13

19 Jul '13

Here's a wonderful short video: A cellist communicates climate science - listen to the Haunting Melody of Global Warming. As the world warms this century the corresponding notes will be beyond human hearing. http://vimeo.com/69122809 http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/07/18/global_warming_rising_t… Melanie Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. Climate Scientist Union of Concerned Scientists | Berkeley CA USA | 510-809-1566 mfitzpatrick(a)ucsusa.org<mailto:mfitzpatrick@ucsusa.org> Subscribe to my blog<http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheEquationMelanieFitzpatrick> The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future. www.ucsusa.org<http://www.ucsusa.org/> Take action with our citizen network<http://ucs.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=sign_up> or expert network<http://www.ucsusa.org/forms/sign-up-for-ucs-science-network.html>. Support our work<https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form…>. Join the conversation on our blog<blog.ucsusa.org> or follow us on Facebook<facebook.com/unionofconcernedscientists> and Twitter<twitter.com/ucsusa>.

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Climate Communication - Communicating Scientific Uncertainty at AGU Fall Meeting
by Adriana Raudzens Bailey 19 Jul '13

19 Jul '13

Dear Chapman Colleagues: Whether you are a physical scientist concerned with the broader impacts of your work, a social scientist concerned with improving decision support, or a professional communicator, we would like to encourage you to submit an abstract to our session at the AGU Fall Meeting this December: Why Should We Talk About What We Don't Know? Implications of Communicating Scientific Uncertainty (PA016) (Please note that since this is a Public Affairs session, you are allowed to submit a second abstract to the AGU meeting.) Session Description: When it comes to today’s pressing geoscience issues—climate change, energy development, natural disasters, geoengineering—how we choose to communicate uncertainty can have far-reaching societal consequences. Not only do scientists, policy actors, and the public perceive uncertainty differently, but they may also construct uncertainty to justify political action or inaction. Given the information needs of decision makers and the public, as well as what we as scientists understand about the earth system, how should we best communicate what we don’t know? When is stressing uncertainty effective? When is it counterproductive? We encourage contributions from physical, social, and political sciences. Abstracts must be submitted by 6 August 2013, 23:59 EDT: https://fallmeeting.agu.org/2013/scientific-program/abstract-submission-pol… This year's conference takes places 9-13 December 2013 in San Francisco. We hope to see you there, Adriana Raudzens Bailey University of Colorado adriana.bailey(a)colorado.edu Lorine Giangola University of Colorado Elizabeth McNie Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

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Climate Communication - Jim Byrne radio interview scheduled for Saturday, July 27
by Douglas Craig 15 Jul '13

15 Jul '13

The next climate scientist interview on KKRN (kkrn.org) will occur on Saturday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. PDT. Doug Bennett and Doug Craig will be joining forces on KKRN's Unspun radio program to interview Dr. James (Jim) Byrne about the current science and impacts associated with human-caused climate change. This will be the last interview for this current series but hopefully there will be more in the future. We have a tentative November recording with one more guest. Thanks to Barbara, Danny and now Jim for participating. Doug Craig's blog about the Jim Byrne interview can be found at: http://blogs.redding.com/dcraig/archives/2013/07/dr-james-byrne.html<climate2013-l(a)uleth.ca> Thank you.

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Climate Communication - Koch pledge & climate inaction in Congress - The New Yorker
by Melanie Fitzpatrick 01 Jul '13

01 Jul '13

Article in The New Yorker today covering new report on role of the Koch brothers in blocking climate action in Congress by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University<http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/the_koch_club/stor…>. Koch Pledge Tied to Congressional Climate Inaction http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/07/the-kochs-and-the-ac… Posted by Jane Mayer<http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/bios/jane_mayer/search?contributorName=Ja…> When President Obama unveiled his program to tackle climate change last month, he deliberately sidestepped Congress as a hopeless bastion of obstruction, relying completely on changes that could be imposed by regulatory agencies. A two-year study by the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University<http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/the_koch_club/stor…>, released today, illustrates what might be one of the reasons why he had to take this circuitous route. Fossil fuel magnates Charles and David Koch have, through Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group they back, succeeded in persuading many members of Congress to sign a little-known pledge<http://www.noclimatetax.com/> in which they have promised to vote against "legislation relating to climate change unless it is accompanied by an equivalent amount of tax cuts." Since most solutions to the problem of greenhouse-gas emissions require costs to the polluters and the public, the pledge essentially commits those who sign to it to vote against nearly any meaningful bill regarding global warning, and acts as yet another roadblock to action. The investigative study tracks the political influence wielded by the billionaire Koch brothers, who have harnessed part of the fortune generated by their company, Koch Industries, the second largest private corporation in the country<http://www.forbes.com/sites/andreamurphy/2012/11/28/americas-largest-privat…>, to further their conservative libertarian activism. Charles Lewis, the Executive Editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop explained that the I.R.W., a non-profit news organization attached to American University, spent two years focussing on Koch Industries because, "There is no other corporation in the U.S. today, in my view, that is as unabashedly, bare-knuckle aggressive across the board about its own self-interest, in the political process, in the nonprofit-policy-advocacy realm, even increasingly in academia and the broader public marketplace of ideas." Formerly head of the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, Lewis has focussed for years on the way money affects American politics. "The Kochs' influence, without a doubt, is growing," he believes. A spokeswoman for the Kochs declined to comment. In its multi-part report<http://investigativereportingworkshop.org/investigations/the_koch_club/stor…>, "The Koch Club," written by Lewis, Eric Holmberg, Alexia Campbell, and Lydia Beyoud, the Workshop found that between 2007 and 2011 the Kochs donated $41.2 million to ninety tax-exempt organizations promoting the ultra-libertarian policies that the brothers favor-policies that are often highly advantageous to their corporate interests. In addition, during this same period they gave $30.5 million to two hundred and twenty-one colleges and universities, often to fund academic programs advocating their worldview. Among the positions embraced by the Kochs are fewer government regulations on business, lower taxes, and skepticism about the causes and impact of climate change. Climate-change policy directly affects Koch Industries's bottom line. Koch Industries, according to Environmental Protection Agency statistics cited in the study, is a major source of carbon-dioxide emissions, the kind of pollution that most scientists believe causes global warming. In 2011, according to the E.P.A.'s greenhouse-gas-reporting database, the company, which has oil refineries in three states, emitted over twenty-four million tons of carbon dioxide, as much as is typically emitted by five million cars. Starting in 2008, a year after the Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency could regulate greenhouse gasses as a form of pollution, accelerating possible Congressional action on climate change, the Koch-funded nonprofit group, Americans for Prosperity, devised the "No Climate Tax" pledge. It has been, according to the study, a component of a remarkably successful campaign to prevent lawmakers from addressing climate change. Two successive efforts to control greenhouse-gas emissions by implementing cap-and-trade energy bills died in the Senate, the latter of which was specifically targeted by A.F.P.'s pledge. By now, four hundred and eleven current office holders nationwide have signed the pledge. Signatories include the entire Republican leadership in the House of Representatives, a third of the members of the House of Representatives as a whole, and a quarter of U.S. senators. The 2010 mid-term elections were a high watermark for the pledge. The Kochs, like many other conservative benefactors, gave generously to efforts to help shift the majority in the House of Representatives from Democratic to Republican. Koch Industries's political action committee spent $1.3 million on congressional campaigns that year. When Republicans did take control of the House, a huge block of climate-change opponents was empowered. Fully one hundred and fifty-six members of the House of Representatives that year had signed the "No Climate Tax Pledge." Of the eighty-five freshmen Republican congressmen elected to the House of Representatives in 2010, seventy-six had signed the No Climate Tax pledge. Fifty-seven of those received campaign contributions from Koch Industries's political action committee. The study notes that more than half of the House members who signed the pledge in the 112th Congress made statements doubting climate-change science, despite the fact that there is overwhelming scientific consensus on the subject. The study recounts that the Kochs have influenced the congressional climate-change debate in other ways, too, which include funding an array of nonprofit groups whose experts have testified in Congress questioning the cause, the severity, and the necessity of, acting on climate change. Since 2007, "Senior staff at more than a dozen Koch-funded nonprofit groups have made frequent trips to testify on Capitol Hill in favor of deregulation," of the environment and energy sector, the study says. The No Climate Tax pledge has made inroads at the state level, as well. In just the three states of Missouri, Michigan, and Kansas, where Koch Industries has its headquarters, forty-eight office holders have now signed the pledge. Nationwide, it has penetrated even the most local levels. Signatories now include the Oklahoma superintendent of schools, the Idaho Treasurer, and three justices of the peace in Arkansas. Lewis concludes that "One of the overarching themes from what we have found is that," when it comes to blocking action on climate change, "things obviously go better with Koch!" Photograph by Carlo Allegri/AP. Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/07/the-kochs-and-the-ac… Melanie Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. Climate Scientist Union of Concerned Scientists | Berkeley CA USA | 510-809-1566 mfitzpatrick(a)ucsusa.org<mailto:mfitzpatrick@ucsusa.org> Subscribe to my blog<http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheEquationMelanieFitzpatrick> The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future. www.ucsusa.org<http://www.ucsusa.org/> Take action with our citizen network<http://ucs.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=sign_up> or expert network<http://www.ucsusa.org/forms/sign-up-for-ucs-science-network.html>. Support our work<https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form…>. Join the conversation on our blog<blog.ucsusa.org> or follow us on Facebook<facebook.com/unionofconcernedscientists> and Twitter<twitter.com/ucsusa>.

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Climate Communication - UCS Resources on Obama's Climate Speech
by Melanie Fitzpatrick 01 Jul '13

01 Jul '13

For the Union of Concerned Scientists' response to Obama's climate speech, check out this URL: www.ucsusa.org/obamaclimatespeech<http://www.ucsusa.org/obamaclimatespeech> Angela Anderson, Director of UCS Climate and Energy Program: "The president is taking up the mantle of educator-in-chief on climate change. His speech was striking because it revealed a deep understanding of the consequences of climate change we're already seeing. He recognizes our responsibility to protect future generations and he made the case that our prosperity and our climate are intrinsically linked." Melanie Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. Climate Scientist Union of Concerned Scientists | Berkeley CA USA | 510-809-1566 mfitzpatrick(a)ucsusa.org<mailto:mfitzpatrick@ucsusa.org> Subscribe to my blog<http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheEquationMelanieFitzpatrick> The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future. www.ucsusa.org<http://www.ucsusa.org/> Take action with our citizen network<http://ucs.convio.net/site/PageServer?pagename=sign_up> or expert network<http://www.ucsusa.org/forms/sign-up-for-ucs-science-network.html>. Support our work<https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/Donation2?df_id=1420&1420.donation=form…>. Join the conversation on our blog<blog.ucsusa.org> or follow us on Facebook<facebook.com/unionofconcernedscientists> and Twitter<twitter.com/ucsusa>.

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climatesolutions-l July 2013