Climate change experts seize the day: Oct. 7, 2008

Boulder, CO, USA– Evidence about ancient climates shows that Earth has undergone many natural climate cycles throughout its long history. But now human activities have added a new variable to the climate system. The rapid rise of heat-trapping carbon dioxide due to the combustion of fossil fuels is having a dramatic impact. Ice core data reveal that atmospheric CO₂ is now 30 percent higher than any time in the last 800,000 years. If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed, CO₂ must be reduced to below the present atmospheric amount.

So says Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and one of the world's leading authorities on present-day climate change. Hansen will speak on Tuesday, 7 October, from noon to 1:15 p.m., as part of a slate of activities planned in recognition of the International Year of Planet Earth: http://www.yearofplanetearth.org/.

Hansen's message, titled "Target Atmospheric CO₂: Where Should Humanity Aim?" will be presented to scientists gathering in Houston, Texas, USA, on 5-9 October for the 2008 Joint Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), American Society of Agronomy (ASA), and Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies (GCAGS) with the Gulf Coast Section SEPM, and hosted by the Houston Geological Society (HGS).

Hansen's lecture will be broadcast live online (CDT) at https://www.acsmeetings.org/programs/events/gsa/.

Two complimentary technical sessions will surround Hansen's presentation—one on Tuesday morning and one in the afternoon, titled, "Global Warming Science: Implications for Geoscientists, Educators, and Policy Makers I & II" Twenty-two speakers, leaders in their respective fields, will expand the climate change discussion on a variety of topics.

"The goal of these two sessions is to review current hard science on global warming, its current and projected impacts, and policy implications for mitigation and adaptation," says Andrew Buddington, session co-convener and geology teacher at Spokane Community College. "We recognize the importance of the overall subject, and the topical line-up is impressive."