The Changing Debate on Global Warming

Although there has been much debate, every credible climate scientist recognizes that increases in greenhouse gases promote warming. Given this, what is the current debate about global warming? Professor Barron will address three important questions related to the new debate. First, how much will our environment warm, second, how fast will it warm, and lastly, how significant will be the impact? Current debate has shifted to questions concerning the range of changes that might occur, how quickly we might feel the impacts and how the resulting changes will look. Dr. Barron discusses how our current ability to predict climate leaves open a range of possible futures to consider. Despite the importance of the scientific questions, our motivation for action depends on our sense of vulnerability and on what we value.