Scholarly Articles on Global Warming and Climate Change

Gale offers an overview of issues related to climate change, derived from scholarly sources and academic journals. Read about legislation and activism. GlobalWarming Long-termwarmingtrendsandincreasesinextremeweathereventshavethepotentialtoimpactalllifeonEarth.Eventhoughatleast97percentofclimatescientistsagreethathumanactivitieshavecontributedtorisingglobaltemperatures,thepredominanceandcausesofthesephenomenacontinuetobedebatedandmanyAmericansdenyglobalwarming. Readtheoverviewbelowtogainabalancedunderstandingoftheissuesandexplorethepreviewsofopinionarticlesthathighlightmanyperspectivesontheresponsetoglobalwarmingandclimatechange. EmbeddedStyleSheet AccessThroughYourlibrary>>    Topic Home   |   SocialIssues   |   Literature   |   LifelongLearning&DIY EmbeddedStyleSheet GlobalWarmingTopicOverview "GlobalWarmingandClimateChange."OpposingViewpointsOnlineCollection,Gale,2018. ViewFastFacts AccessThroughYourLibrary SeeMoreArticles Institutions:ShopResources Althoughthetermsglobalwarmingandclimatechangeareoftenusedinterchangeably,theyapplytodifferentphenomena.ClimatechangereferstochangesinEarth'stemperature,humidity,airpressure,wind,clouds,andprecipitationpatternsovertime.GlobalwarmingisacontributingfactortoclimatechangeandrefersspecificallytotheeffectofgreenhousegasesonEarth'saveragesurfacetemperature.Whendiscussingrisingtemperaturescausedbygreenhousegases,globalwarmingisanacceptableterm.However,climatechangeisthemoreaccuratetermwhendescribingotherlong-termchangestotheplanet'sweatherpatterns. ThetermglobalwarmingfirstappearedingeochemistWallaceBroecker's1975Sciencemagazinearticle,"ClimaticChange:AreWeontheBrinkofaPronouncedGlobalWarming?"ScientistsbeganstudyingtheeffectofgreenhousegasesonEarth'sclimatemorethanacenturyprior,however,asearlyas1820.ItwasduringthistimethatFrenchscientistJosephFourierfirstdiscoveredthatEarth'satmospherefunctionstoretainthesun'sheat.Intheearly1900s,SerbianastrophysicistMilutinMilankovitchalsoidentifiedthelong-termclimateeffectsofnaturalfluctuationsinEarth'sorbitaswellasthetiltandprecessionofitsaxis.Sincethen,scientistsandpolicymakershaveworkedtobetterunderstandtheworkingsoftheatmosphere,aswellashowtorespondtochallengescreatedbyclimatechange.   CausesofClimateChange Earth'satmospherecontainsvariousgasesthatactasablankettotrapheatfromthesunandpreventitfromescapingbackintospace.Thisprocessisknownasthegreenhouseeffect,andthegasesarereferredtoasgreenhousegases.Themaingreenhousegasesthatoccurinnaturearecarbondioxide,methane,andnitrousoxide.Withoutthegreenhouseeffect,theplanetwouldbetoocoldtosupportlife.Overtime,theamountofgreenhousegasestrappedinEarth'satmospherehasincreasedsignificantly,causingworldwidetemperaturestorise. NaturalprocessesonEarthconstantlycreateanddestroygreenhousegases.Thedecayofplantandanimalmatter,forexample,producescarbondioxide,whichplantsthenabsorbduringphotosynthesis.Thisnaturalcyclekeepsthelevelofcarbondioxideintheatmospherefairlystable.Shiftsintheplanet'scrustandchangesinoceanpatternsimpactweather,asdofluctuationsinthesun'soutputofradiation.Volcanicactivityalsoaffectstheclimatebecauseeruptionsdischargegreenhousegasesandotherpollutantsintotheatmosphere.ClimatechangescientistsattheNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministration(NASA)andotherfederalandinternationalagenciesrecognizethatthesenaturalfactorscontinuetoplayaroleinclimatechangebutcontendthattheimpactofthesefactorsalonedoesnotexplainthesubstantialriseinEarth'stemperature.Naturalcausesofclimatechangearereferredtoasnaturogenic,whilehuman-madecausesofclimatechangearereferredtoasanthropogenic. Earth'svegetationreleasesandabsorbsmorethantwohundredbillionmetrictonsofcarbondioxideannually.Humanactivities,suchastheburningoffossilfuels,addanextrasevenbillionmetrictonsperyear.Overtime,theseadditionshavehadadramaticeffectontheatmosphere.Inthepast150years,theconcentrationofcarbondioxideintheatmospherehasrisenbymorethan30percent.Deforestationhasalsoplayedaroleinthisincreasebyeliminatingforeststhatwouldotherwiseabsorbtonsofcarbondioxide. Increasedlevelsofothergreenhousegasessuchasnitrousoxideandmethanehavealsoresultedfromhumanactivities.Severalagriculturalandindustrialactivities,suchastheuseofcertainfertilizersinagriculture,producenitrousoxide.Methaneemissionscomefromtheproductionoffossilfuels,fromlandfills,andfromlivestock.Thesegasesmaycauseevenmoreharmthancarbondioxide,eventhoughlessofthemexist,becausetheyhaveamuchgreatereffectperpoundonEarth'stemperature.Methane,forexample,isagreenhousegasthatistwenty-onetimesaspotentascarbondioxide.BeginninginOctober2015,amethanegasleakfromaCaliforniastoragefacilityventedaboutfivebillioncubicfeetofgasintotheatmosphere.TheleaktookmorethanthreemonthstosealandwasfinallycappedonFebruary18,2016.TheincidentconstitutedthelargestaccidentaldischargeofgreenhousegasesinUShistory,releasingtheequivalentoftheyearlyexhaustemissionsfrom572,000automobiles. Humanshavecreatedandreleasedgreenhousegasesthatdonotoccurinnature.Theseincludehydrofluorocarbons(HFCs),perfluorocarbons(PFCs),andsulfurhexafluoride(SF6).Thesegases,releasedduringsuchindustrialprocessesasaluminumproductionandelectricaltransmission,havethousandsoftimesgreatereffectontheplanet'stemperaturethancarbondioxide.   ClimateChangePredictions Climatesciencemeasureschangesthatoccurtoalargegeographicalareaoveralongperiodoftime,makingitdifficulttoprovidedefinitiveanswerstoclimatechangequestions.However,multiplestudieshavebeenconductedsincethe1990stodeterminehowthescientificcommunitycollectivelyviewsanthropogenicclimatechange.Thesestudiesincludedsurveysaswellasanalysesofpeer-reviewedarticlesandhaveconcludedthatatleast97percentofactivelypublishingclimatescientistsaroundtheworldagreethathumanactivitieshavecontributedtorisingglobaltemperatures. ThoughsurveysindicatethatmanyAmericansremainskepticaltowardargumentsandevidenceputforthbyclimatescientists,reportssuggestthatbeliefinglobalwarminghasgrownsteadilyinthetwenty-firstcentury.AccordingtoannualpollsconductedbyGallup,thepublic'sbeliefthatglobalwarmingiscausedbyhumanactivity,thatclimatechangehasbeguntotakeeffect,andthatglobalwarmingwillsoonposeaseriousthreathasincreasedsince2001.Researchershaveobservedastrongcorrelationbetweenpeople'spoliticalaffiliationsandtheirlevelsofconcernregardingglobalwarmingandacceptanceofclimatescience.Atotalof64percentofallAmericanspolledreportedabeliefthathumanactivitycontributestoglobalwarmingin2018,whichincluded89percentofDemocrats,62percentofindependents,and35percentofRepublicans.Similarly,91percentofDemocratsrespondedthattheyworriedsignificantlyaboutglobalwarming,comparedto62percentofindependentsand33percentofRepublicans.Democratsalsoreportedmuchhigherconfidence(86percent)thatscientistshavereachedaconsensusthatglobalwarmingisrealthanRepublicans(42percent).Gallup'spollingfurtherindicatesthatpeopleage55andolderaremorelikelythanyoungerrespondentstobelievethatthemediaexaggeratesthethreatofclimatechange. SkepticsofglobalwarmingandclimatechangehavenotedthatEarthhasexperiencedcyclicalchangestoitsclimatepatternsformillenniaandthatrecentclimaticshiftsarenotassevereasindicatedornecessarilyaconsequenceofhumanactivityalone.Climatescientistscontendthatsuchskepticismmaystemfromanunwillingnesstofacethescopeofthethreatposedtotheplanetbyhumanactivity.Additionally,conservativedonors,includingseveralfoundationsestablishedbywealthyfamilies,havecontributedlargeamountsofmoneytoorganizationsthatpromoteclimatechangedenial.FoundationslinkedtotheprominentKochfamily,forexample,donatedover$100milliontosuchorganizationsbetween1997and2015,asreportedbytheenvironmentalorganizationGreenpeace. Evenifallmembersofsocietyagreedthatglobaltemperaturesarerisingandhumansarethecause,thechallengescreatedbyclimatechangelackanobvioussolution.Noclimatemodelformulatedbyscientiststochartclimatepatternshashad100percentaccuracyinpredictingchanges.However,scientistscontinuetorefinetheirmethodstoproducemorereliabledata.Mostclimatemodelsfailedtopredictaslowdowninrisingtemperaturesatthebeginningofthetwenty-firstcentury.Somepredictionshavealsounderestimatedthreats.Initsinitialassessmentofrisingsealevelsin1990,theIntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange(IPCC)originallyanticipatedasealevelriseof1.9millimetersperyearfromthatyearonward.However,studiesbyNASAhaverevealedthatsealevelshaveinfactrisenatarateof3.2millimetersperyear.Thescienceofclimatechangeissocomplexthatsomeactionsthatseemhelpfulmaycausedamageinthelongterm.Someofthemostpotentgreenhousegases,HFCsandPFCs,arecommonlyusedasreplacementsforotherchemicalscalledchlorofluorocarbons(CFCs),whichwerephasedoutbetween1989and1996becausetheydamagedtheozonelayer.Consequently,thesameprocessthatsolvedoneenvironmentalproblem—ozonedamage—contributedtoanother.   EffectsofGlobalWarming Theconsequencesofglobalwarmingremainanissueofgreatdebateanduncertainty,andsomeresearcherspredictdramaticandseriousproblemsforfuturegenerations.Warmeroceanscouldresultinstrongerandmorefrequenthurricanes.Astemperaturesclimb,someregionscouldexperiencefrequentheatwavesanddevastatingdroughtsandwildfires.Duringthe1990sandfirstdecadeofthetwenty-firstcentury,manyareasintheUnitedStatesenduredrecord-breakingheatanddrought.In2012,severedroughtplaguedtheWheatBeltoftheUnitedStates,locatedintheNorthAmericanGreatPlains.Inthebeginningof2013,Australiaexperiencedaheatwavethatcausedhundredsofwildfiresthroughoutthecountry.ClimatechangehasalsobeenlinkedtotheseveredroughtthatoccurredinCaliforniabetween2011andearly2017.In2018Californiahasfurtherenduredmassivewildfiresthathaveledtothedisplacementofthousandsofresidents,widespreaddestructionofproperty,andthedeathsofatleasteightpeople.Scientistshaveattributedthefires,whichincludedthelargestwildfireinCaliforniahistorytodate,tothepresenceofextremelydryvegetation,broughtonbyrisingtemperatures,thatcreatedconditionsthatallowedthefirestospreadrapidlyandburnintensely.CaliforniagovernorJerryBrownlamentedthatsuchfireshavebecomeincreasinglycommoninthesouthwesternUnitedStatesandwarnedthatfireswouldlikelybecomemoreintenseasclimatechangecontinues. Manycoastalareasaroundtheworldcouldalsofaceseverefloodingduetorisingsealevels.Low-lyingislandsinthePacificOceanwouldeventuallybecomeuninhabitable.Withinthepastcentury,sealevelhasrisenbyfourtoeightinchesworldwide.Someoftheseeffectswerefeltin2012whenasuperstormknownasSuperstormSandyhittheEasterncoastoftheUnitedStates,andatyphooninthePhilippinesclaimedthelivesofmorethanonethousandpeople.Thehurricaneseasonof2017provedtobethecostliesthurricaneseasonsince1900,withsevereweatherandrisingsealevelsleadingtotragiclossoflifeandover$215billionofpropertydamageinFlorida,Texas,andPuertoRicoaswellasotherstatesintheSoutheastandseveralcountrieslocatedinCentralAmericaandtheCaribbean. Globalwarmingcouldalsohaveamajorimpactonhabitats.Someareaswellsuitedtofarmingmightbecometoodryortoowettosupportagriculture.Longperiodsofdroughtcouldturnfertilelandsintodesertswithlittlevegetation.Plantsandanimalsmightnotbeabletosurvivetherapidchangescausedbyglobalwarmingandcouldbecomeextinct.Overthelongterm,suchchangeswouldresultinalossofbiodiversityontheplanet.Someecosystems,suchascoralreefsandcoastalmangroveswamps,arelikelytodisappearcompletely. Furthermore,peoplewouldalsofaceseriousproblems.Lossoffarmland,forexample,wouldcausedisruptionsinthefoodsupply,bringingaboutfamineinmanyareas.Scientistshavenotedthatvariousspeciesofdisease-carryingmosquitoeshaveexpandedtheirhabitatstoareaswheretheycouldnothavelivedbeforetheriseinatmospherictemperature.Morefrequentandintenseheatwavescouldresultinmoreheat-relateddeaths,andchangesinairqualitycouldalsoaffecthumanhealth.A2018studyintheenvironmentalsciencejournalNatureClimateChangedeterminedthatrisingtemperaturesarecontributingtoincreasedratesofsuicide,anticipatingthatthetrendwillcontinuewithoutawidespreadresponsetoclimatechangethataddressestheimpactofhumansontheenvironment.   InternationalResponse Economicandpoliticalissuesinformhowgovernmentschoosetorespondtoanthropogenicclimatechange.Toreduceglobalwarminginyearstocome,nationsmayneedtoimplementpolicieswiththepotentialtoinhibittheireconomies.Effortstofurthertightenrestrictionsongreenhouseemissionsmayincludeamarket-basedsystemsuchasacap-and-tradeprogramthatlimitsafirm'stotalgreenhousegasoutputbutallowsafirmtopurchaseadditionalemissionscredits.Regulationsthatplacehigherindustrystandardsonperformanceandtechnologyprovideanotherwaytoreduceemissions.Bothapproaches,however,havethepotentialtoreducecurrentproductioncapacity,foreigninvestment,andhouseholdpurchasingpower,aswellasleadtohigherconsumerprices.Forthesereasons,governmentshaveencounteredgreatdifficultyinagreeingonaglobalplantodealwithEarth'schangingclimate. Wealthiercountriesproducesignificantlylargeramountsofgreenhousegasesthanpoorercountries,thuscontributingmoretotheprocessofglobalwarming.Atthesametime,thenegativeeffectsofclimatechangeimpactdevelopingcountriestoagreaterdegreethandevelopedcountries.Therefore,manypeoplebelievethatindustrializednationsshouldtakeresponsibilityforreducingemissionsofthesegases.Theleadersofthesenations,however,havebeenresistanttothisidea. Sincethe1995,theUnitedNationshashostedannualconferencestodiscussclimatechangeaspartoftheUnitedNationsFrameworkConventiononClimateChange(UNFCCC),whichwasdraftedin1992andratifiedin1994.In1997,delegatesgatheredinKyoto,Japan,tonegotiateaninternationaltreatyknownastheKyotoProtocol.Thistreatyrequiredindustrializedcountriestoreducetheiremissionsofgreenhousegasesbyacertainpercentageoverafive-yearperiod.ThetreatywasstronglysupportedbytheEuropeanUnionandotherdevelopedcountries.TheUnitedStatesopposedtheagreement,however,claimingthatitcouldharmtheUSeconomyandwasunfairbecausehugeemitterssuchasChinaandIndiawerenotrequiredtocutemissionsbecausetheywereconsidereddevelopingcountries.AsofAugust2018,192parties,composedof191countriesandtheEuropeanUnionasapolitical-economicunion,hadratifiedtheKyotoProtocol.NotableexceptionsfromthelistofsignatoriesincludetheUnitedStates,whichhasneverratifiedthetreaty,andCanada,whichannounceditswithdrawalfromtheagreementin2011.Amendmentsproposedin2012,whichwouldexpandtheprotocolandextendituntil2020,havenotbeenputinforcebecausetheyhavenotbeenratifiedbyaminimumof144signatories. In2015,worldleaderscraftednewclimategoalsattheUNFCCCconferenceinParis,France.Thisnewagreementaimedtolimittheriseinglobaltemperaturestolessthan2degreesCelsius(approximately3.6degreesFahrenheit)abovepreindustriallevelsandprovidecountrieswiththetoolsneededtobestcombatclimatechange.PresidentBarackObamaplayedacentralroleinbrokeringtheParisAgreementandpushedforgreaterenvironmentalrestrictionsduringhispresidency.OnNovember4,2016,theParisAgreementwentintoeffectwiththecommitmentoftheUnitedStatesandseventy-threeotherparties.   ChangingPoliticalLandscapeandWithdrawalfromtheParisAgreement Inhis2015StateoftheUnionaddress,Obamastatedthat"nochallengeposesagreaterthreattofuturegenerationsthanclimatechange."PresidentObama'ssuccessor,DonaldTrump,however,holdsanopposingviewofclimatechange.Priortohiselection,Trumpmadeseveralpublicstatementscastingdoubtonthevalidityofclimatescience,includingasocialmediapostinwhichhereferredtoglobalwarmingasahoaxperpetratedbytheChinesegovernmenttomakeUSmanufacturinglesscompetitive.UponfirstarrivinginofficeinJanuary2017,PresidentTrumporderedamediablackoutonfederalagenciesdiscussingclimatechange.InJune2017TrumpwithdrewtheUnitedStatesfromtheParisAgreement,drawinginternationalcriticismaswellasobjectionsfromdomesticsources.Shortlyafterthepresident'sannouncement,abipartisancoalitionofgovernors,triballeaders,mayors,andbusinessleaderspledgedtheircommitmenttoworktowardthegoalsoftheParisAgreementbysigningontotheWeAreStillIndeclaration.AsofAugust2018,thecoalitionincludednearly2,700signatories,includingtenstategovernors.Ontheone-yearanniversaryofTrump'sannouncement,BloombergPhilanthropies,ledbyformerNewYorkCitymayorMichaelBloomberg,announcedthatitwasdirecting$70milliontowardtheAmericanCitiesClimateChallenge,inwhichtwenty"leadershipcities"wouldworkatanacceleratedpacetomeettheircarbonreductiongoals. Duringhispresidency,Trumphasappointedseveralindividualstocabinetpositionsandleadershiprolesinfederalagenciesknowntoresistevidenceofclimatechange,includingclimateskepticsRyanZinkeassecretaryoftheinterior,RexTillersonassecretaryofstate,andMikePompeoasTillerson'sreplacementfollowingtheformersecretary'sdismissal.Trump'sappointmentofScottPruitt,whorepeatedlyfiledlawsuitsagainsttheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA)whileservingasOklahoma'sattorneygeneral,asadministratoroftheEPAdrewsharpcriticismfromenvironmentalists.InaccordancewithTrump'spoliticaldirectives,Pruittrescindedseveralpoliciesimplementedbythepreviousadministrationmeanttoaddressclimatechange,includingtheCleanPowerPlan,whichaimedtoreduceemissionsatcoal-burningpowerplantsandpromoteinvestmentinalternativeenergysources.InPruitt'sfirstyearwiththeagency,over700employeesresignedfromtheirpositions,including200scientists,manyofwhomwerereplacedbyassociatesofPruittwithtiestoindustriesthatwouldbenefitfromweakenedenvironmentalprotections.DespitepublicdisapprovalofPruitt,TrumpwelcomedPruitt'seffortstorollbackenvironmentalregulationsandpraisedhisjobperformanceofteninpublic.AlthoughPruittresignedinJuly2018inthewakeofmultipleallegationsrelatedtoabuseofpowerandwasteoftaxpayermoney,criticswarnedthatthecontroversialpoliciesimplementedunderPruittwouldlikelycontinueunderhissuccessorAndrewWheeler,aformerlobbyistforthecoalandchemicalindustries. ViewFastFacts>> AccessThroughYourLibrary>> EmbeddedStyleSheet MoreArticles   GlobalWarmingandClimateChangeCanBeStoppedIfPeopleTryHarder Canadell,Pep."GlobalWarmingandClimateChangeCanBeStoppedIfPeopleTryHarder."OpposingViewpointsOnlineCollection,Gale,2019,www.gale.com.Originallypublishedas"Wecanstillkeepglobalwarmingbelow2°C–butthehardworkisabouttostart,"TheConversation,30Jan.2017. “Nationsneedtoacceleratedeploymentofexistingtechnologiestolockinandbuildonthegainsofthelastthreeyears.” Dr.PepCanadellisExecutiveDirectoroftheGlobalCarbonProject,DeputyResearchDirectoratAtmosphereandLandObservationAssessment,andaresearchscientistatCSIROMarineandAtmosphericResearch. Inthefollowingviewpoint,Canadellarguesthatrecenteffortstoimproveenergyefficiencyandincreasetheuseofcleanenergyhavecontributedtoastallinginfossilfuelemissions.However,Canadellcontendsthatgovernmentswillneedtoincreasetheireffortstomeettheclimategoalsestablishedinthe2015ParisAgreement.HecomparesthesuccessesandshortcomingsofChina,theUnitedStates,India,Australia,andtheEuropeanUnioninreducingemissions.Heexaminesthepracticeofstoringcarbondioxideundergroundthroughcarboncaptureandstorage(CCS)andconcludesthatthousandsofCCSfacilitieswillbenecessarytomeetclimategoals. AccessThroughYourLibrary>>     PoliticiansUseClimateChangeasanExcusetoLimitPersonalFreedom Thomas,Cal."PoliticiansUseClimateChangeasanExcusetoLimitPersonalFreedom."OpposingViewpointsOnlineCollection,Gale,2019,www.gale.com.Originallypublishedas"Thirtyyearsof'globalwarming'panic,"WashingtonTimes,27June2018. "Repetitionispreciselywhatweareexperiencinginthemajormedia,whichhaveselectivelyinterviewedpeoplewhopromotetheclimatechangemyth." CalThomasisasyndicatedcolumnistandtheauthorofseveralbooks,includingWhatWorks:CommonSenseSolutionsforaStrongerAmerica. Inthefollowingviewpoint,Thomasarguesthatpoliticiansusetheissueofclimatechangeasanexcuseforthegovernmenttointerfereinthelivesofprivatecitizens.Notingthatsomeclimatepredictionshaveoverestimatedtheimpactofglobalwarming,theauthordisputesthewidelyheldbeliefthatglobaltemperaturesarerisingasaresultofhumanactivity.Hecontendsthatpoliticiansandthemainstreammediaencouragepublicoutrageandgeneratepanicoverclimatechangebypromotingtheopinionsandpredictionsofalarmistswhileignoringtheviewsofskeptics. AccessThroughYourLibrary>>     RenewableEnergySourcesBenefitHealth,Climate,andtheEconomy "RenewableEnergySourcesBenefitHealth,Climate,andtheEconomy."WhatIstheImpactofGreenPractices?,editedbyTamaraThompson,GreenhavenPress,2016.AtIssue.OpposingViewpointsinContext,2019,www.gale.com.Originallypublishedas"BenefitsofRenewableEnergyUse,"ucsusa.org,2012. TheUnionofConcernedScientistsisamembershiporganizationofcitizensandscientistswhoworktogethertopromotetheresponsibleuseofsciencetoimprovetheworld. Renewableenergysources,suchassolar,wind,geothermal,hydroelectric,andbiomass,eachcomewiththeirownsetofuniquecostsandbenefits,butoverallthesecleanerenergysourceshaveoverwhelminglypositiveeffectsontheclimate,humanhealth,andtheeconomy.Renewableenergysourcesrepresentavastandinexhaustiblesupplyofenergy,producelittleornoglobalwarmingemissions,improvepublichealthandenvironmentalquality,helpstabilizeenergyprices,createjobsandothereconomicbenefits,andcontributetoamorereliableandresilientenergysystem.Thecostsofrenewableenergyhavedeclinedinrecentyearsandareprojectedtocontinuedecreasing,makingrenewablesmoreaccessibleandaffordableforconsumersthanever. AccessThroughYourLibrary>>     BiomassPowerPlantsProduceJustasMuchPollutionasCoal-FiredPowerPlants "BiomassPowerPlantsProduceJustasMuchPollutionasCoal-FiredPowerPlants."EnergyAlternatives,editedbySylviaEngdahl,GreenhavenPress,2015.OpposingViewpoints.OpposingViewpointsinContext,2019.www.gale.com.OriginallypublishedasGordonClarkandMaryBooth,"DispellingtheMythofClean,Green Biomass Power,"Truthout,March15,2013. "Thereisnoquickerwaytomovecarbonintotheatmosphere—theoppositeofwhatwewant—thanthroughutility-scalebiomassenergyplantsthatburnmillionsoftreesperyear." Inthefollowingviewpoint,GordonClarkandMaryBoothpointoutthatalthoughbiomassenergyhasbeenpromotedasenvironmentallyfriendly,newandproposedbiomasspowerplantsemitjustasmuchpollutionandcarbondioxideasthoseusingfossilfuels,sometimesevenmore.Theargumentsfavoringbiomasspowerplantsasarenewableenergysourcearenotvalid,theysay;recentstudieshaveshownthis,andsomestatesareeliminatingsubsidiesandtighteningregulationsrequiringefficiency.TheauthorsspeculatewhethertheEnvironmentalProtectionAgencywilltakefederalactionandformulaterulesthatmakebiomasspowerplantsresponsibleforthegreenhousegasestheyrelease.BoothisthedirectorofthePartnershipforPolicyIntegrity,andClarkisitscommunicationsdirector. AccessThroughYourLibrary>>     Lookingforinformationonothertopics?   AccessThroughYourLibrary>> ©2021Gale, ACengageCompany TERMSOFUSE| PRIVACY| SITEMAP| SUBSCRIBE