Global Climate Change:
Perspectives and Solutions

Lecture Summaries

Lecture Times: 6:30–8 PM
Lecture Schedule | Lecturer Biographies

Global Climate Change, Sea Level and Western Megadrought
Jonathan Overpeck, Ph.D., University of Arizona
Scientists know that the "greenhouse effect" is real—the Earth's surface would be frozen solid without this effect and the Earth is getting warmer as humans increase the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The current multi-year drought of western North America could be the first of these "global warming droughts," and a harbinger of what could threaten areas of the West even in coming decades. Learn why major initiatives in climate change adaptation are key but serious efforts to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions are also both needed and quite feasible.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006; 6:30-8 PM

How We Know the Climate is Changing
Mark Thiemens, Ph.D., University of California San Diego
The southern California environment is one of the most fragile on Earth. The newest analysis techniques are helping us comprehend new and poorly understood potential threats. In this lecture, Thiemens will discuss wide-ranging analysis utilized to investigate the global aspects of climate and atmospheric change. These measurements are not only done on samples from today's atmosphere, but also extend back billions of years.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007; 6:30-8 PM

Climate Change: A Looming Challenge to California's Water Supply
Dan Cayan, Ph.D., Scripps Institution of Oceanography
One of the resources that is particularly affected by climate change is California's water, with possible impacts on water supply, hydroelectric power supply, agriculture, recreation, and ecosystems. Early phases of some of these changes may have already appeared-recent decades have seen increased rainfall and earlier snowmelt. Learn how more severe impacts may be avoided if global greenhouse gas emissions are constrained to lower rates during the next several decades.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007; 6:30-8 PM

Realizing a Clean Energy Future: The Power of Local Governments to Effect Change
Ron Sims, County Executive of King County, WA
King County has embraced, not debated, the science of global warming. Learn about how King County is reducing greenhouse gas emissions from county operations and implementing aggressive clean-energy standards. Cutting-edge environmental management policies are creating results and setting carbon emission-reduction standards for local governments throughout the world.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007; 6:30-8 PM

Climate, Air Pollution, and Human Health
Online now! Dr. Kim Prather's recorded lecture (with Adobe Presenter™).
Kim Prather, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Air pollution impacts our daily lives, affecting human health and impacting the climate. Much of the focus regarding our climate is placed on CO2, but aerosols—tiny bits of soot and ash suspended in our atmosphere—play a major but somewhat uncertain role. Scientists at UCSD are conducting worldwide studies aimed at developing a better understanding of the link between air pollutants and climate and developing new techniques to measure aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Find out about the latest developments in climate study and hear a panel discuss how the public can play a significant role in bettering our future.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007; 6:30-8 PM

Global Warming: Where Do We Go From Here?
Online now! Dr. Michael Oppenheimer's recorded lecture (with Adobe Presenter™).
Michael Oppenheimer, Ph.D., Princeton University
The recognition that global warming is a serious problem that necessitates political action is dawning on the general public and many U.S. political leaders. What does science tell us about the urgency and scope of action needed to slow warming and stabilize the atmosphere? What actions have already been taken at the local, state, federal, and international levels? How well do such policies match the scientific constraints? This lecture addresses the possible answers to these questions and more.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007; 6:30-8 PM

We are grateful for the support of the following organizations and individuals who helped make this lecture series possible: Eleanor and Jerry Navarra, The San Diego Foundation, Understanding Climate Change, LTD – A Project of the Mission Valley Rotary, the Hattie Ettinger Conservation Fund, Mr. William Kuni, KGTV 10News.

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