Confronting Climate Change Strategies for Energy Research and Development (1990) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
2 Background
2 Background
Pages 15-24
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 15... ...
Accordingly, in Public Law 100-371, Congress directed the secretary of energy to ask the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering to: · assess the current state of research and development (R&D) in the United States in alternative energy sources "including, but not limited to, nuclear power, solar power, renewable energy sources, improved methods of employing fossil fuels, energy conservation, and energy efficiency"; ~ suggest R&D strategies for stabs lizing the atmospheric concentrations of GHGs that contribute to global climate change; and ~ analyze what federal investments would encourage greater private investment in alternative sources of energy.
|
From page 16... ...
The concern is that, if this rate of increase in the concentrations of GHGs continues, climatic changes may arise that would have maj4Or impacts on the natural environment and on human societies. Scientific uncertainty exists, however, regarding the timing and extent of potential glob,01,climate change from the accumulation of GHGs in the atmosphere.
|
From page 17... ...
Energy production and use constitute the largest human source of greenhouse gases, but other activities are also significant.2 17
|
From page 18... ...
350 330 310 .,' ~ _ ~ - , 290 270 FIGURE: 2 - 2 f / 1740 1790 ~ 840 Year Historical variation in concentration. '2 18 / ,4 1890 1940 1990 atmospheric carbon dioxide
|
From page 19... ...
Values shown for the rate of increase are representative as of 1985. b These chlorofluorocarbons will be phased out under the terms of the Montreal Protocol that is now in force.
|
From page 20... ...
. 51 J 1 CH4(18%~ FIGURE 2-3 GIlGs responsible for increases in the greenhouse effect worldwide .2 20
|
From page 21... ...
THE GLOBAL CONTEXT On the premise that increasing accumulation of GHGs increases the probability that significant global waffling will occur, a major goal would be to reduce atmospheric emissions of such gases, especially CO2. Global fossil fuel energy resources are large and include petroleum, coal, natural gas, tar sands, oil shale, and deposits of bitumen.35 Approximately 80 percent of the world's coal resources are in the United States, the U.S.S.R., and the People's Republic of China, and coal is expected to be the dominant fuel that will be used around the world over the next several decades.
|
From page 22... ...
actions are possible, which could significantly reduce GHG emissions from the nation's current levels, establish a leadership position for the United States with which to support other countries in similar efforts, and create a setting in which actions needed world,7i'9de can be planned and executed in a timely and concerted manner.
|
From page 23... ...
9. Energy Policies to Address Global Climate Change, Workshop Proceedings (unpublished)
|
From page 24... ...
P Wholf, Measurements of Concentrations of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide at Mauna Loa Observatory Hawaii, 19581986, Final Report for the Carbon Dioxide Information and Analysis Center, Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, Tenn.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.