Climate change (global warming) : a couple of answers to some elementary questions

 

website of the author : www.manicore.com - contact the author : jean-marc@manicore.com

first online edition : september 2003

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Physical aspects of climate change : a general overview

What is the greenhouse effect ?

Why is it said that the earth is warming up ?

Has this warming up started already ?

Is climate change something different from the hole in the ozone layer ?

Are weather and climate the same thing ?

 Is man the only cause of climate change ?

Greenhouse gases : what are they ?

What gases are greenhouse gases ? How much do they contribute to the greenhouse effect ?

Is it legitimate to say that carbon dioxide is a poison ?

What are the aerosols ? - what role do clouds play ?

 Are we really sure that it's man that modified the atmosphere ?

 

Trying to guess the future

What is a climate model ? What are the models' first conclusions ?

Should we trust climate models ?

How many extra degrees can we get ?

 How do the present temperatures compare to the past ones ?

Will temperatures and precipitations evolve the same way everywhere ?

What is an emission scenario ? Is it important for the future ?

Will climate change get rapidely to a halt if we quickly decrease the emissions ?

A climate change, is it just a change of the average temperature ?

 

Risks

Do we know if there is a "threshold of danger" ?

Will extreme phenomena of all kind increase in the future ?

Will marine currents change ?

Are the ecosystems at risk ?

Will we turn the ocean into an acid lake ?

Will we all be sick ?

Will oceans submerge everything ?

Will the "hole in the ozone layer" increase ?

Will men be able to stay calm ?

Won't certain regions of the world be spared by climate change ?

Can the whole process get totally out of control ?

Should we fear methane hydrates ?

Can't we expect that "something" will slow down the process ?

Comparing tobacco and climate change....

The carbon cycle

Won't the carbon sinks absorb the extra CO2 ?

Can't we just grow forests to compensate for our CO2 emissions ?

 

Should we believe what scientists say about the future of our climate?

Who are "the scientists" ?

Since when do "scientists know" for climate change ?

What is the IPCC ?

Is the press correctly accounting for the available scientific information ?

 Should we believe anything just because it is written in the paper ?

Greenhouse gases and us

How do greenhouse gas emissions presently evolve ?

What is our present energy consumption like ?

Do I emit greenhouse gases through my daily acts ?

How much greenhouse gases in our plate ?

How much greenhouse gases in our wastebin ?

How much greenhouse gases does the author's family emit ?

 

Acting collectively : when, how, and to achieve what ?

Shouldn't we wait until we are totally sure of what's going on before we do anything ?

Won't a soon to come fossil fuel shortage solve the problem for us ?

At what level must we stabilize atmospheric CO2 ?

What amount of CO2 should each of us be allowed to emit ?

Is leaving one's car in the garage sufficient to suppress the CO2 emissions in excess ?

Won't "the technique" save us ?

Can't we put the carbon dioxide in a big hole and just forget it ?

What collective actions could be done ?

What are the international negociations aiming at ?

Are the Americans the kings of evil ?

Who should reduce first ?

Acting individually, at home or at work

Doing one's good deed regarding climate change : what is the impact of individual actions ?

I run a business : can I "do something" ?

 An example of emission calculation : how much carbon equivalent at Jancovici & co ?

Is there an ideal world ?

Are there "CO2 free" energies ?

Could we live just like today with only renewable energies ?

What can be expected from the electric cars ?

What would an "energetically vertuous" world look like ?

 

Global warming and economy

Does economic growth "create" greenhouse effect ?

Does it make sense to give a price to climate change consequences ?

Aren't we declining already ?

What price increases would follow a carbon tax ?

What are the tradable permits ?

What is Kaya's equation ?

 

Climate change and France

How much extra greenhouse gases emissions if we build a new airport near Paris ?

How much extra greenhouse gases emissions if we replace nuclear power plants by gas turbines ?
 

 

Thanks and acknowledgments

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Got a couple of spare euros ? Part of the content of these pages can be found in two books (only in French, but don't tell me you are not fluent in Moliere's tongue...).

Roberval Prize 2002
  

I will gladly accept only half of the amount Hillary Clinton got for the publication of her memoirs if any editor is interested in an english version of these titles !