From usc!apple!well!tgray Sun Jul 16 16:15:38 PDT 1989


CALIFORNIA ISSUES REPORT ON GLOBAL WARMING, HOLDS HEARING -- The
California Energy Commission (CEC) has issued a report on how
global warming may affect the Golden State.
 
The CEC held a public hearing 7/5 to discus the report and global
warming.  Among conclusions of the report:
 
o     There is a "high degree of risk that California will
      experience a 2.7 to 8.1 degree Fahrenheit warming by
      the middle of the 21st Century."
 
o     A one to four degree warming "may already be unavoid-
      able."
 
o     That "there are indications (but no absolute proof)
      that recent weather phenomena are the result of green-
      house warming."
 
o     There "are strong indications that warming would case
      electricity demand to increase and hydroelectric sup-
      plies to decrease."
 
o     "The expected increase in summer heat and dryness is
      likely to stress many of the state's forest areas."
 
o     "Thermal expansion of the ocean and glacial melting are
      likely to case a 0.5 to 1.5 meter rise in the ocean
      level...A one meter rise would triple the size of the
      San Francisco Bay system."
 
The CEC's intergovernmental committee concluded that "Overall,
the...risks and consequences of global warming are great enough to
warrant a thorough examination of possible policy measures for
delaying or preventing further warming, as well as policies to
prepare the state for warming that may come in any event."
 
For copies of the report contact the CEC's public information
office at 1516 Ninth Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, phone 916-324-
3298.  Ask for report P500-89-004.
 
                               * * *
 
(From Wind Energy Weekly, Vol. 8, #361, 7/15/89, published by the
American Wind Energy Association.  For more information on the
Association, contact AWEA, 1730 North Lynn #610, Arlington, VA 22209,
USA, phone 703-276-8334, fax 703-527-2833, telex 6503304640 MCI UW.)
***************************************************************
Tom Gray
American Wind Energy Association {standard disclaimer applies}
{hplabs,arisia,labrea,pyramid}!cdp!tgray
"Wind energy is clean energy."



____________________________________________________________________________



From indri!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!bionet!agate!shelby!labrea!cdp!tgray Wed Sep  6 3 PDT 1989


Subject: --Sagan Urges Warming Action

/* Written  7:11 pm  Sep  2, 1989 by tgray in cdp:awea.windnews */
/* ---------- "--Sagan Urges Warming Action" ---------- */
SAGAN URGES GOVERNORS TO SUPPORT WARMING MEASURES -- In a related
story, scientist Carl Sagan 8/7 urged the National Governors' As-
sociation to back policies to fight global warming and ozone deple-
tion.

According to press reports, Sagan said the threats posed by global
warming -- of drought, desertification, and flooding of coastal
areas -- are too great to delay action.

Sagan told an environmental committee of the governors' group that
policies to deal with the problem should include improvements in
energy efficiency, greater use of renewable energy, and reforesta-
tion.

                               * * *


(From Wind Energy Weekly #365, 8/13/89.  Published by the American Wind
Energy Association on EcoNet, the global electronic network for the
environmental community.  For more information on the Association,
contact AWEA, 1730 North Lynn #610, Arlington, VA 22209, USA, phone
703-276-8334, fax 703-527-2833, telex 6503304640 MCI UW.  For more
information on EcoNet, contact Institute for Global Communications, 3228
Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, phone 415-923-0900.)


____________________________________________________________________________



From indri!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!bionet!agate!shelby!labrea!cdp!tgray Wed Sep  6 2 PDT 1989


Subject: --Warming and Washington, DC

/* Written  7:12 pm  Sep  2, 1989 by tgray in cdp:awea.windnews */
/* ---------- "--Warming and Washington, DC" ---------- */
WASHINGTON POST PROFILES IMPACT OF WARMING ON CAPITAL -- Summer in
Washington, DC, seldom an attractive season at best, could become
much more unpleasant if global warming forecasts are borne out, a
feature story in the Washington Post said 8/7.

Among changes which could be in store for the capital and surround-
ing region by 2050, the article said, are the following:

o     Temperatures rising above 100 degrees a dozen times a year,
      with nights in which the mercury fails to fall below 80 oc-
      curring 19 times annually.

o     Loss of shoreline at resort areas on the Maryland and Dela-
      ware coasts, and the Potomac "...[lapping] at the steps of
      the Lincoln Memorial..."  Sea levels have already risen by a
      foot in the area during the last century and the rate of
      increase is climbing.

o     An increase of 600 deaths in the summertime because of heat
      stroke and higher mortality from heart disease and respira-
      tory ailments.

o     Damage to the local economy, which is highlighted by several
      temperature-sensitive species including soybeans, the soft
      clam, and the loblolly pine.

Global warming, which many scientists believe will result from the
trapping of the sun's heat by gases produced from the burning of
fossil fuels, has been the subject of a number of recent studies and
articles.  Most reports on the topic have urged greater development
of renewable energy sources such as wind to alleviate the problem.

                               * * *


(From Wind Energy Weekly #365, 8/13/89.  Published by the American Wind
Energy Association on EcoNet, the global electronic network for the
environmental community.  For more information on the Association,
contact AWEA, 1730 North Lynn #610, Arlington, VA 22209, USA, phone
703-276-8334, fax 703-527-2833, telex 6503304640 MCI UW.  For more
information on EcoNet, contact Institute for Global Communications, 3228
Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, phone 415-923-0900.)


____________________________________________________________________________


From sdsu!bionet!agate!shelby!labrea!cdp!tgray Wed Sep  6 12:13:51 PDT 1989


Subject: Canada Punts on Global Warming

Date:         Tue, 29 Aug 89 17:45:00 ADT
>From: Larry Hughes <labrea!@rice.edu:LHUGHES%HUSKY1.STMARYS.CA@icsa.rice.edu>
Subject:      Canada's Bold Initiative on the Greenhouse Effect :-(

                       )-: ****************** :-(
                       )-: *** NEWS FLASH *** :-(
                       )-: ****************** :-(

Canada's provincial energy ministers (10 of 'em, plus their federal counterpart)
have just announced a decision against adopting a target for carbon dioxide
emission reductions.  The ministers have decided that further study on the
social and economic impacts of the reducing emissions is needed.  Reasons
stated include the following:

 "a 20 per cent reduction ... isn't achievable"

 "considering the scientific uncertainties related to global warming ...
  the 20 per cent should be regarded as an illustrative target rather than
  as a formally adopted goal"

There is some good news in all this though, the federal energy minister, Jake
Epp, announced that the federal government's "Energuide" program of rating the
energy efficiency of appliances would be continued and (wait for it) expanded.

For more details, see Globe and Mail, 29 August 1989.

larry and sandy