Climate scientist at the University of Chicago, Dr. David Archer spoke at Revolution Books in Chicago. They invited him to speak after seeing an article in the NYT by Dr. James Hansen which raised alarm that current scientific models, used to inform public policy, are insufficiently sensitive to the actual earth systems change driven by increasing anthropomorphic CO2 in the atmosphere. Professor Archer speaks of his optimism that the social and political forces put in play by COP21 will yield the changes necessary to meet average global temperature targets of 1.5 degrees C.
His 2009 book "The Long Thaw: How Humans are Changing the Next 100,000 Years of Earth's Climate", presented a long term perspective that he recognizes will need adjustment considering that "the weather is getting really weird" and field scientists have identified a number of new factors that are influencing the stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet and heat transport between the Equator and the Poles. Added atmospheric heat and a warmer ocean mean more water vapor in the atmosphere and more intense weather events which are playing out around the planet. He comments on the failure of neoliberal economic doctrine to grasp the physical facts of Earth's climate system or irreversible phase change potential. [At this point in time University of Chicago economists remain incapable of separating their fantasy doctrine from physical reality.] He explains why he thinks the near term concern with methane, of some Arctic field scientists, is a distraction from the primary task of eliminating fossil fuel use, the main source of CO2.
Commenting on attempting a geoengineering "fix" through solar radiation management, he explained its unintended effect of making the planet more arid.
Revolution Books - Chicago
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