Abstract
For about a century the academic community - or at least a segment of it - has been aware of the possibility that increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning and other human activities could significantly alter global climate and thus become a major societal problem. Now, however, the CO2 issue is frequently reported - often in ominous tones - in the popular press, and its implications have even penetrated to the halls of Parliaments and the U.S. Congress. [1] What causes the climate to change - and the potential contribution of carbon dioxide - is self-evidently an important problem for climatologists and other environmental scientists. But why should the “average citizen” - or his or her elected representatives - worry about the CO2 issue? Food production, which depends significantly on both climate and carbon dioxide per se, is one such reason.
Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
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Bibliography
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This figure was taken from Schneider, S. H. and Londer, R. S. 1984, The Co-evolution of Climate and Life, San Francisco: Sierra Club (in press).
Figure also accompanied the prepared testimony of S. H. Schneider. Carbon Dioxide and Climate: The Greenhouse Effect. No. 45. House Committee on Science and Technology, 97th Congress, Joint Hearing of Subcommittee on Natural Resources, Agriculture Research and Environment and the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, July 31, 1981. Washington, D.C., pp. 31–59.
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Schneider, S.H. (1983). CO2, Climate and Society: A Brief Overview. In: Chen, R.S., Boulding, E., Schneider, S.H. (eds) Social Science Research and Climate Change. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7001-4_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7001-4_3
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