HR: 0800h
AN: GC51D-1094    [Abstracts]
TI: Clearing the Air: Challenges and Successes in Overcoming Confusion about Climate Change
AU: * Ihara, D
AF: Center for Environmental Econ, P.O. Box 4167, Arcata, CA 95518 United States
AB: Summarized are experiences with a variety of audiences, such as public events and radio talk shows as well as in coordinating panel presentations at four annual Environmental Law Conference and in presenting to students. In particular the usefulness is explained of clarifying that, while scientists differ regarding particular possible climate dynamics and scenarios, there is no scientific controversy about the Greenhouse Effect. Also successes in making the distinction between the greenhouse effect and the enhanced greenhouse effect are described. Asking audiences the question "Approximately how much carbon (not "carbon dioxide") is added to the atmosphere when one gallon of gasoline is burned?" (answer, approximately 5 pounds) has proven to be an effective way to help people to understand and relate their personal experience to larger aggregate measures of carbon emissions. Other issues regarding differences in how much people discount the future and the implications of these differences for support for climate and energy policies are discussed.
DE: 0815 Informal education
SC: Global Climate Change [GC]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting