The Earth’s Changing Environment orEnergy, Environment, and Sustainable Development

10 Central Issues

April 28, 2003                                        

1. Global Warming• Human actions are causing global warming!•What measures would be most effective in halting global change?•What calculations or data are needed to assess the effectiveness of these measures?

2. Population“We have met the enemy and he is us”

•World population is still growing and probably will reach 10 billion!

•Why is population an environmental problem?

•Does family planning offer a viable option?

•What calculations or data would be needed to determine the carrying capacity of the earth?

3. Fossil Fuels •We still live in a hydrocarbon society!

• Why is consumption of fossil fuels an environmental problem?•How can we reduce our dependence of fossil fuels?

4. Ozone Depletion• The ozone depletion problem has been mostly solved by an international treaty.

•Why can’t we solve other global environmental problems in a similar way?

5. Air Pollution•The causes of air pollution are cars, power plants, and factories.

•What legislation and what technologies have been effective in reducing air pollution?

6. Transportation • What environmental

problems are associated with transportation?

• What technical or policy solutions can help deal with these problems?

• How do we calculate carbon emission?

7. Wildlife Conservation• What human

activities threaten species diversity?

• Why is preservation of biodiversity important?

• How is biodiversity being protected?

8. Renewable Energy• Why are the

advantages of renewable energy?

• What forms of renewable energy are being developed?

• What policies encourage the use of renewable energy?

• How do we calculate payback time?

9. Nuclear Energy• Why are the

advantages of nuclear power?

• What are the disadvantages of nuclear power?

• How do we calculate lifetime of nuclear waste?

10. Sustainable Development • What is

sustainable development?

• What are some examples of sustainable development technologies and policies?

My View? The US should • develop a real

energy policy • become a global

leader in the use of renewable energy

• become a global leader in the conservation of ecosystems.