UB Green, the university's environmental stewardship office, released a report detailing how UB's operations impact global warming and how the university might harness resources to reduce that impact. The result of two years of intensive data collection and analysis by UB Green, UB's environmental stewardship office, the 160-page "UB Green Climate Action Report" (26MB PDF) is chock-full of statistics about how UB's operations impact global warming, how that impact has changed during the past decade and how the university might harness resources on campus to dramatically reduce that impact.

Global climate change is one of the more scientifically complex and politically controversial environmental topics we confront. Some researchers and policy analysts have suggested that global environmental change represents the largest scientific undertakings in history. The following serves as an introduction to U.S. research and policy Internet resources for global climate change, and provides an example, New York and the Great Lakes, for state and regional Internet resources.

The earth's climate is determined by the amount of solar radiation absorbed by its surface and the amount of infrared radiation (heat) reflected back into space. The balance of the earth's heat depends on the input energy deposited by the sun and atmospheric abundances of radiatively active trace gases (the greenhouse gases), clouds, and aerosols. Greenhouse gases, which result from both natural and man-made processes, include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, halogenated compounds, and water vapor. Heat from the earth and its atmosphere that ordinarily radiates into outer space is instead absorbed by the greenhouse gases. This process boosts the heat energy in the lower atmosphere and on the earth's surface. As a result, the temperature of the lower atmosphere and the earth's surface increases, causing the planet to be warmer than usual.

Science Tracer Bullets Online: Global Warming & Climate Change This is a 21-page guide to the literature on global warming and climate change. It was prepared in June 2006 by the Science Division of the Library of Congress. It is a major gateway with links to hundreds, if not thousands of information resources. Includes a detailed list of Library of Congress Subject Headings.

Students, faculty, and staff at the University at Buffalo can use the Resources by Subject guide for Ecology & Environment to find bibliographic and reference databases, selected reference books, and Library Guides prepared by UB Librarians. The general public will have limited use of many of these resources.

The UB Green Office is another rich source for information about policies, programs, actions and activities taking place at the University at Buffalo, including Energy for the Future, Global Warming and Climate Change, and the UB Green Library (a small library collection NOT affiliated with the UB Libraries).

The American Meteorological Society, the nation's leading professional society for those working in the atmospheric and related sciences, has a weblog ("blog") addressing the challenging policy issues related to climate change. The AMS goal is to use this blog to help decision makers at all levels make sound policy based on the best available information. ClimatePolicy.org encourages the exchange among experts, policy-makers, journalists, and the broader society.

An Inconvenient Truth won the 79th Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2007. In this documentary, former Vice President Al Gore presents his renowned global warming slideshow with enhanced footage depicting the causes and effects of global warming and how we might solve this environmental problem. Mr. Gore is a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, for these efforts. Details are on the Nobel Foundation's website, nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2007/. A companion book to the film was published in 2006 and a children's version in 2007.

An Inconvenient Truth: Paramount Classics and Participant Productions, A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David Production, Davis Gugenheim Director. About the Film and DVD.
[http://www.climatecrisis.net/]

Guggenheim and Al Gore Acceptance Speeches at the Academy Awards
[http://www.oscars.org/79academyawards/winners/10_doc_feature.html]

Acceptance Speech by Melissa Etheridge for Best Music and Lyric for "I Need to Wake Up" from An Inconvenient Truth
[http://www.oscars.org/79academyawards/winners/16_music_song.html]

An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It
Albert Gore
Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press
ISBN 9781594865671, 2006

An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming (adapted for children as juvenile literature)
Albert Gore
New York: Viking/Penguin, Emmaus, Penn.: Rodale Press
ISBN 9780067006272, 2007

Al Gore and The Climate Project trained "1,000 Climate Messengers" to show variations of the slide show. You can request a presentation from one of the "Climate Messengers" or see a list of presentations at http://www.theclimateproject.org/

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The issue of global change is international in scope.

• World Meteorological Organization [http://www.wmo.ch/]
  Provides global weather information and other services for public, private and commercial use, including international airline and shipping industries.
• United Nations Environment Programme [http://www.unep.org]
  UNEP supports an extensive Internet site of climate change resources.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [http://www.ipcc.ch/index.htm]
  Established by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to develop a scientific, technical and socio-economic response strategy to investigate global climate change.
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) [http://www.unfccc.de/]
  Information source of news, data, and documents on global climate change. The Framework Convention was adopted at the United Nations in May 1999 and opened for signatures at the June 1992 UNCED (United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development) Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
• Climate Change Information Kit [http://www.unfccc.int/essential_background/background_publications_htmlpdf/climate_change _information_kit/items/305.php]
  A series of 90 fact sheets covering both the scientific and policy aspects of climate change.Kyoto Protocol Drafted at the Conference of Parties (COP) Meetings in Kyoto, Japan, which calls for an international effort to reduce the emissions of gases contributing to the "Greenhouse Effect," and subsequent global warming. Additional United Nations documents are also available in full-text formats.
• The International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) [http://www.igbp.kva.se/] and the International Council for Science [http://www.icsu.org/] (ICSU, formerly the International Council for Scientific Unions) serve as international global change research coordination bodies. These organizations provide scientific and technical oversight of the international research efforts and fill critical quality assurance functions.
• Tiempo Climate Portal A useful source for international information with links to many free resources.
• Climate Ark: Climate Change and Global Warming Portal International news about global warming and climate change.

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The U.S. global change research program is part of a global initiative to address the science and policy aspects of global environmental change.

• President's Office of Science and Technology Policy [http://www.ostp.gov/] Oversees federal global change research.
• National Science and Technology Council [http://www.ostp.gov/nstc/] Established by President Clinton in 1993 to develop and coordinate federal technology and scientific research.
• Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) [http://www.ostp.gov/NSTC/html/committee/cenr.html] Provides a formal mechanism for interagency coordination relevant to domestic and international environmental and natural resources issues.
• U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) [http://www.usgcrp.gov] A multi-agency, interdisciplinary committee developed by CENR as a means to increase our understanding about the possible implications of global environmental change from scientific and social perspectives. The USGCRP was created as a Presidential Initiative in 1989. The ability to conduct research and develop policies requires access to high quality data and information. A major objective of the USGCRP is to manage, archive, and make available to all who need it the data and information resulting from its research and policy initiatives
• Global Change Research Act of 1990 [http://www.gcrio.org/gcact1990.html]. Formalized the USGCRP in 1990.
• Our Changing Planet: The U.S. Climate Change Science Program for Fiscal Year 2007 [http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/Library/ocp2007/default.htm], a comprehensive overview of the accomplishments and future direction of the USGCRP, is the definitive resource describing U.S. federal research. Previous years of Our Changing Planet and other climate change-related publications are found at Our Changing Planet and Online Library of the U.S. Global Change Research Information Office. The USGCRP has initiated a national assessment [http://www.nacc.usgcrp.gov/] on the potential consequences of climate variability and change for the nation. The national assessment process will analyze and evaluate what is known about the potential consequences of climate variability and change for the nation, in the context of other pressures on the public, the environment, and the nation's resources.
• U.S. Climate Change Science Program provides summaries of key research findings from U.S. federal agencies.

• U.S Agencies [http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/usagency.html] involved in the USGCRP:
  • Department of Agriculture
    [http://www.usda.gov]
  • Department of Commerce
    [http://www.doc.gov/]
  • Department of Defense
    [http://www.defenselink.mil/]
  • Department of Energy
    [http://www.energy.gov/]
  • Department of Health and Human Services: National Institutes of Health
    [http://www.hhs.gov]
  • Department of Interior
    [http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/]
  • Environmental Protection Agency
    [http://www.epa.gov/]
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    [http://www.earth.nasa.gov/]
  • National Science Foundation
    [http://www.nsf.gov/]
  • Smithsonian Institution
    [http://www.si.edu/]
  • Global Change Data and Information System (GCDIS) [http://globalchange.gov/] is an organizational entity of agencies designed to carry out the the objectives of the USGCRP . It is overseen by the Global Change Data Management Working Group. The GCDIS comprises a collection of data and information centers, libraries, and related programs such as the GCDIS Implementation Plan [http://www.gcrio.org/GCDIS/iplan/tocgcdip.html], operated by U.S. government agencies involved in global change research. It serves scientists and other researchers, policy makers, educators, industry, and the public. Disciplines covered span the earth and biological sciences, economics, and sociology. This site has various search functions to identify research by subject areas, agency concentrations, and other convenient means to "filter" the sources of data and information sought. GCDIS Web site offers several major starting points for data, information, and resources:
• Center for International Earth Science Information Network or CEISIN [http://www.ciesin.org/], provides ready access to worldwide sources of information relating to global change and its human impacts. The GCRIO and CEISIN sites provide rather comprehensive and exhaustive coverage to specific data and information resources.

• Another choice on the GCDIS Web site is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) [http://gcmd.nasa.gov/], a comprehensive, searchable source of data and information with broad coverage of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, solid earth and biosphere. Other choices are USGCRP Science Topics, Agency Data Centers, Educational Resources, Libraries and Information Centers, and the Federal Geographic Data Committee (which develops standards for sharing geospatial data). You can use the GCMD to enter local (e.g., Rochester, New York) or regional (e.g., Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay) to locate specific data and information resources.
• The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR ) [http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/info/about.html] Funded by the National Science Foundation. NCAR plans, organizes, and conducts atmospheric and related research programs in collaboration with universities, to provide state-of-the-art research tools and facilities to the entire atmospheric sciences community, to support and enhance university atmospheric research education, and to facilitate the transfer of technology to both the public and private sectors. NCAR is managed for the NSF by the
• University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) [http://www.ucar.edu/]. Manages the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) for the National Science Foundation (NSF).
• Climate [http://www.noaa.gov/climate.html] This is a major gateway to U.S.-related climate information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
• The Climate Project [http://www.theclimateproject.org/] This site is a gateway to resources and events related to Vice President Al Gore's documentary movie, "An Inconvenient Truth."
• Climate Crisis [http://www.climatecrisis.net/] is the major group promoting the documentary film, "An Inconvenient Truth." They provide a number of resources about the film including a companion "educational guide" (requires free login).

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The following groups are responsible for maintaining major repositories of quality controlled and documented data related to the USGCRP. These resources represent scientific and technical data and information that can be used for further scientific inquiry, education purposes, policy development, and decision making.

• Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) [http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov] CDIAC is located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and was established by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop data products related to the global carbon cycle. CDIAC has produced more than 60 specialized numeric data packages (NDPs ) [http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/by_new/bytitle.html#Numeric.] for topics including atmospheric concentrations of trace gases, emissions inventories of carbon dioxide, coastal zone hazards, historical climate data (U.S. and global), ocean chemistry, and land use. The data and information management activities at CDIAC and other ORNL programs is detailed in a special issue of the ORNL Review [http://www.ornl.gov/ORNLReview/rev28_2/text/contents.htm].
  
• CDIAC also serves as the World Data Center for Atmospheric Trace Gases [http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/atmosgas.html]. Information about other data-rich global change World Data Center facilities is located at these WDC-A sites: [http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/]:
  • World Data Center for Biodiversity and Ecology
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/diversity.html
  • World Data Center for Glaciology
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/glaciology.html
  • World Data Center for Human Interactions in the Environment
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/human.html
  • World Data Center for Land Cover Data
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/landcover.html
  • World Data Center for Marine Environmental Sciences
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/europe/mes.html
  • World Data Center for Marine Geology and Geophysics
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/mgg.html
  • World Data Center for Meteorology
    http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/meteor.html
  • World Data Center for Oceanography
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/ocean.html
  • World Data Center for Paleoclimatology
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/paleo.html
  • World Data Center for Remotely Sensed Land Data
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/remote.html
  • World Data Center for Satellite Information
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/rockets.html
  • World Data Center for the Rotation of the Earth
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/rotat.html
  • World Data Center for Seismology
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/seismol.html
  • World Data Center for Solar-Terrestrial Physics
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/solar.html
  • World Data Center for Solid Earth Geophysics
    http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/wdc/usa/solid.html
• The Atmospheric Radiation Program (ARM; http://www.arm.gov) is also supported by the Department of Energy. Archived measurements related to meteorology, clouds, aerosols, radiative fluxes and the like are available [http://www-armarchive.ornl.gov].
• National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) [ http://www.nasa.gov ] NASA supports the single largest component of USGCRP data generation and information management in its:
  • Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) [http://www.earth.nasa.gov/]. This long-term program studies the interactions among the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, land processes (biotic and abiotic), and human activities.
  • The Earth Observing System (EOS; http://eos.nasa.gov/).An essential component of MTPE that generates a wide variety of atmospheric, oceanic, and land use data.
  • The EOS Data and Information System (EOSDIS; http://spsosun.gsfc.nasa.gov/New_EOSDIS.html) Developed by NASA to help a wide variety of users access data products and other information derived from EOS and other MTPE activities and programs. Within the EOSDIS framework, several Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) provide products, publications, and services to support multidisciplinary global change research, and to assist the cross-disciplinary exchange of data and information among all interested parties. Each of the DAACs maintains its own specialized data holding
  • Information Management System (IMS; http://eos.nasa.gov/imswelcome) provides access to the following EOSDIS DAACs:
    • Alaska Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Facility (ASF DAAC)
      SAR images; polar region orbiting satellite data.
      http://www.asf.alaska.edu
    • Earth Resources Observation System (EROS) Data Center (EDC DAAC)
      Land processes and high-resolution radiometry; Landsat data. http://eros.usgs.gov/index.html
    • Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC DAAC)
      Upper atmosphere, global biosphere, atmospheric dynamics.
      http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov
    • Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL DAAC)
      Physical oceanography.
      http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov
    • Langley Research Center (LaRC DAAC)
      Radiation budget, tropospheric chemistry, clouds, aerosols.
      http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov
    • National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC DAAC)
      Snow and ice, cryosphere and climate.
      http://www-nsidc.colorado.edu
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL DAAC)
      Biogeochemical dynamics.
      http://www-eosdis.ornl.gov/
    • Socio-Economic Data Application Center (SEDAC)
      Socio-economic and human impacts on global change.
      http://sedac.ciesin.org http://www.ciesin.org
    • Global Hydrology Resource Center (GHRC) Cooperating Data Center
      Hydrologic cycle. Extensive information on these DAACs is found in the Catalog of Data Sets and Services Available from the EOS Distributed Active Archive Centers, and available free from the ORNL DAAC User Services Office, P.O. Box 2008 (MS-6407), Bldg. 1507, Oak Ridge TN 37831 (tel: 423 241 3952; ornldaac@ornl.gov )

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There are literally thousands of technical report, books, and journals articles describing the phenomenon known as climate change or global warming. Here is a very partial list of full-text, online reports of importance to the topic.

• Climate Data and Information [http://www.itas.fzk.de/eng/infum/gch_dat.htm] An inventory of World Meteorological Organization publications.
• Climate Change Information Kit [http://unfccc.int/essential_background/background_publications_htmlpdf/climate_change _information_kit/items/305.php
• Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2005 [http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/index.html] Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2005 A U.S. Department of Energy report on greenhouse gas emissions. Other DOE greenhouse gas reports and publications can be found at
  • DOE Energy Information Administration's Greenhouse Gases site, as well as from the EIA's multi-year inventories.
• Global Change Acronyms and Abbreviations [http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/pns/acronyms.html] A list of acronyms and abbreviations compiled to provide the user with a ready reference to decipher the linguistic initialisms and abridgements for the study of global change.
• The National Academy Press [http://www.nap.edu] provides thorough and concise state-of-the-art scientific overviews of issues related to a wide variety of subjects, including those dealing with global climate change. Use the search box for appropriate titles. The National Academies Committee on the Human Dimensions of Global Change serves as a primary source of "scientific expertise and judgment for setting agendas for research" (browse this site!!). Several NAP reports include:
  • Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises
    [http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10136.html]
  • Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions
    [http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10139.html?srchtop]
  • Preliminary Principles and Guidelines for Archiving Environmental and Geospatial Data at NOAA: Interim Report
    [http://books.nap.edu/catalog/11659.html]
  • The Science of Regional and Global Change: Putting Knowledge to Work
    [http://books.nap.edu/catalog/10048.html]
• Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2004 (April 2006), EPA 430-R-06-002 This report "provides a broad overview of all U.S. greenhouse gas emission sources and sinks, introduces key concepts, and discusses the primary drivers for the growth in emissions."
• The Regional Impacts of Climate Change [http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/publications/reference/ipcc/index.html] A global summary of the effects of climate change by region.
• Reports to the Nation on Our Changing Planet [http://www.joss.ucar.edu/joss_psg/publications/rtn.html] is a series of monographs written as general interest documents s to explain in non-technical terms the scientific basis of global climate change and related issues. The full-text online versions of these reports are:
  • El Niño and Climate Prediction [http://www.atmos.washington.edu/gcg/RTN/rtnt.html] ( another format ) [http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/toga-tao/el-nino-report.html]),
  • Our Climate System [http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/library/rtnw91.htm],
  • Our Ozone Shield [http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/library/rtnf92.htm]. Several of these reports a rich with links to other data and information resources, and movies.
  • Scenarios of U. S. Carbon Reductions: Potential Impacts of Energy-Efficient and Low-Carbon Technologies by 2010 and Beyond An inter-laboratory report compiled by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (the Interlaboratory Working Group on Energy-Efficient and Low-Carbon Technologies).
  • The U.S. EPA Climate Change site is a gateway to a wide variety of information including sites for World Regions, United States (click on state for more information), or Natural Regions.

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U.S. initiatives related to global change research may be predominated by those funded by Federal government sources. However, there is an active segment of global change-related scientific and technical research and policy development conducted by companies, institutes, organizations and consulting firms in the private sector.

• The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) [http://www.epri.com/] is the research and development organization for the nation's electric utilities. EPRI has more than 25 years of service to about 1000 energy-related organizations in 40 countries. Their work covers a wide spectrum of scientific research, technology development, and product applications related to the generation, delivery, marketing, and use of energy.
• The U.S. Department of Energy-supported National Laboratories [http:www.energy.gov/organization/labs-techcenters.htm] are major R&D contributors to a wide variety of scientific and technical programs related to global environmental change. These programs include active DOE participation in the USGCRP and a variety of projects related to energy efficiency and renewable energy.
• Several representative examples of other private sector policy and research development are provided here.
  • Greentie [http://www.greentie.org/] is a private company operating in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. It provides analyses and services related to financing mechanisms to developers of renewable energy and sustainable forestry projects.
  • Climatology Consultation Corporation [http://www.edrinc.com/] EDR performs basic and applied research in the dynamics of the physical environment and promotes education in atmospheric and climate-related sciences.
  • Pew Center on Global Climate Change [http://www.pewclimate.org/] is an organization attempting to investigate an innovative cooperative strategy to study the scientific, technical, and policy aspects of the global climate debate.
    
  • Trexler and Associates, Inc. (TAA) [http://www.climateservices.com/] conducts research and mitigation strategies related to climate change risk management, examining the technologies and policies requisite for greenhouse gas emissions reductions and offsets.
  • World Resources Institute (WRI) [http://www.wri.org/] is a nonprofit organization that is investigating the means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring growth for industries in the developed world and implementing appropriate technologies and policies in developing countries to promote industrial growth with a focus on cleaner. healthier, and sustainable concepts.
  • Environmental Defense [http://www.environmentaldefense.org/home.cfm] has taken global climate change as a major environmental topic, with many useful links.

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Implementing technologies and strategies to reduce global warming will be the responsibilities of subnational units (e.g., state and local energy agencies, local and regional energy and environmental groups, inter-state coalitions of utilities, aggregates of power utilities and energy producers). Local and regional inventories of global change resources can be compiled using many of the resources described above. There are many outstanding full-text global climate change Internet resources specific for New York State and the Great Lakes Region serving as an example of local and regional (e.g. state or ecosystem) global change Internet resources.

• Global Climate Change [http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/] This Web site provides a Canadian perspective on global climate change, including general Canadian, Provincial, and Great Lakes sources of information and data.
• Global Warming: What Does It Mean for Upstate New York and the Great Lakes? An eight-page, full-text (PDF) report on the June 23, 1998 EPA Regional Conference sponsored by the EPA Office of Policy and Office of Economy and Environment.
• New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) [http://www.nyserda.org/] NYSERDA is a public benefit corporation created in 1975 by the New York State Legislature. NYSERDA conducts energy and environmental research and development program. NYSERDA supports an extensive research agenda in cooperation with state utilities, universities, institutions, and other local and community groups. These efforts support technologies that reduce greenhouse gases and other environmental concerns. Currently, NYSERDA has over 300 projects underway that are developing energy-efficient and "environmentally friendly" technologies, and there are a number of projects underway to develop and deploy renewable technologies.
• State Summary Report -- New York [http://yosemite.epa.gov/globalwarming\ghg.nsf/ReportLookup/NY] is the EPA summary document providing an overview of the state's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and actions to reduce emissions.
• U.S. National Assessment
  [http://www.nacc.usgcrp.gov/regions/greatlakes/]
  Provides a detailed overview of the potential consequences of climate variability and change, with specific information about agriculture, water, health, forests and coastal areas and marine resources.
• The Health and Environmental Effects site of the EPA Climate Page provides a comprehensive overview of the potential consequences of climate variability and change. There are specific links to topics such as Agriculture and Food Supply, Forests, Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Coastal Zones and Sea Level Rise, Water Resouces, Energy Production and Use, Public Lands and Recreation, U.S. Regions, Polar Regions, International, Extreme Events, Adaptation.

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The ongoing debate on the topic of global warming and climate change focuses on the validity of the science behind major technical policy reports such as the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's fourth assessment report, whose first of four volumes was released in February, 2007 (see: http://www.ipcc.ch/). The IPCC reports and other scientific studies have been subject to intense scrutiny by a small group of scientists discounting the findings of these documents. Several websites have emerged in recent years to follow these so-called "climate skeptics."

• ExxonSecrets (Greenpeace)
  [http://www.exxonsecrets.org/]
  A FLASH application showing how one of the world's largest corporations deals with the issue of global warming/climate change.
  • Includes a list of fact sheets for organizations and individuals representing them.
• Google Climate Change Skeptics
  [http://www.google.com/Top/Society/Issues/Environment/Opposing_Views/Climate_Change _Skeptics/] A directory of organizations and individuals disclaiming the effects and impacts of climate change.
• Greenwash (MapCruzin')
  [http://www.mapcruzin.com/greenwash/index.html]
  GREENWASH: Perspectives on right-wing and libertarian think-tanks, free-market and common-sense environmentalists, and their corporate sponsors.
• Investigation Reveals Widespread Suppression of Federal Climate Research (Union of Concerned Scientists)
  [http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/investigation-reveals-0007.html]
  Title is self-explanatory.
• Real Climate
  [http://www.realclimate.org/]
  "RealClimate is a commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalist. We aim to provide a quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary. The discussion here is restricted to scientific topics and will not get involved in any political or economic implications of the science."
• Scientists' Report Documents ExxonMobil's tobacco-like Disinformation Campaign on Global Warming Science (Union of Concerned Scientists)
  [http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/ExxonMobil-GlobalWarming-tobacco.html]
  This title is self-explanatory.
• Source Watch (Center for Media in Democracy)
  [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Global_warming]
  "Welcome to SourceWatch, a collaborative project of the Center for Media and Democracy to produce a directory of the people, organizations and issues shaping the public agenda. A primary purpose of SourceWatch is documenting the PT and propaganda activities of public relations firms and public relations professionals engaged in managing and manipulating public perception, opinion and policy. SourceWatch also includes profiles on think tanks, industry-funded organizations and industry-friendly experts that work to influence public opinion and public policy on behalf of corporations, governments and special interests. Over time, SourceWatch has broadened to include others involved in public debates including media outlets, journalists and government agencies. Unlike some other wikis, SourceWatch has a policy of strict referencing, and is overseen by a paid editor."
• Wikipedia: Sections of Articles
  • Assertions by opponents of the global warming theory
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy#Assertions_by_opponents _of_the_global_warming_theory
  • Former global warming skeptics
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Former_global_warming_skeptics
  • Funding for Opponents
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funding_for_Opponents
  • Global warming controversy
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy
  • Global warming skeptics
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Global_warming_skeptics
  • List of scientists opposing global warming consensus
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_scientists_opposing_global_warming_consensus
  • Political Pressure on Scientists
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy#Political_pressure_on _scientists
  • Scientific Opinion on Climate Change
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_opinion_on_climate_change

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We can measure our contributions to global warming by calculating how much CO2 our daily activities and life style choices generate. These exercises measure what is called our CO2 or carbon "footprints." The Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change maintains a convenient source of various calculators to assist in developing a better understanding of our contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.
[http://www.co2science.org/scripts/CO2ScienceB2C/about/ghgreport/calculators.jsp]

URLS for CO2 Footprint images:

• http://www.brighton.ac.uk/news/2007/070104footprint.php?PageId=804
• http://www.rireport.com/
• http://www.carbonfootprint.com/approved.html
• http://www.worldwire.com/news/0610240002.html
• http://mingled.co.uk/designs/carbonfootprint.htm
• http://www.colby.edu/environ/climate/logistics.htm

Equivalency Calculators

• Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator
  [http://www.usctcgateway.net/tool/]
• Climate Change Calculator - American Forests
  [http://www.americanforests.org/resources/ccc/index.php]

Calculators for Individuals

• Climate Crisis Carbon Calculator
  [http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/]
• SafeClimate Carbon Dioxide Footprint Calculator
  [http://safeclimate.net/calculator/]
• AOL Carbon Calculator
  [http://reference.aol.com/planet-earth/global-warming/calculator]
• EPA's Personal Online Greenhouse Gas Calculator
  [http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html]
• Stop Global Warming Calculator
  [http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/carboncalculator.asp]
• EPA's Personal Hand-held Wheel Card Greenhouse Gas Calculator
  [http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ResourceCenterToolsCalculatorsWheelCard.html]
• ICLEI Personal CO2 Calculation
  [http://www3.iclei.org/co2/co2calc.htm]
• Travel Matters Emissions Calculators
  [http://travelmatters.org/]

Calculators for Home and Business

• Calculate Your Person/Home Impact
  [http://fightglobalwarming.com/carboncalculator.cfm]
• Home and Business Energy Analyzer
  [http://energyguide.com/audit/haintro.asp]
• Energy Advisor/Home Energy Saver
  [http://hes.lbl.gov/]
• Home Energy Checkup
  [http://www.ase.org/section/homeenergycheckup/]
• Recycled Content Tool
  [http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ActionsWasteToolsRecon.html]

Alternative Energy Calculators

• Replacement Bulb Calculator
  [http://environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=620]
• Power Profiler
  [http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/powerprofiler.htm]
• Calculator for Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems
  [http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/codes_algs/PVWATTS/]

Automotive Vehicles (cars & trucks)

• Driving Green
  [http://drivinggreen.com/?gclid=CPGRjvjjxYwCFRlmWAodWk7qaA]
• TerraPass Car Carbon Calculator
  [http://terrapass.com/road/carboncalc.php]
• Fuel Economy Website
  [http://www.fueleconomy.gov/]
• How Much Does Your Car Pollute?
  [http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentID=5578]

Solid Wastes

• Waste reduction Model (WARM)
  [http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ActionsWasteWARM.html]

 

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Submissions in both Houses of the U.S. Congress require the teaching of global warming issues from a scientific perspective and demonstrate the importance for a strong education commitment on this issue. The Global Warming Education Act (H.R. 1728) was submitted by Representative Michael M. Honda (CA-15) on March 28, 2007 to authorize the National Science Foundation to establish a Global Warming Education Program. A similar bill, S.1389, Climate Change Educatiion Act, was introduced into the Senate by Senator Barack Obama (IL) on May 14, 2007. Both have been refereed to committees. See: Thomas, the U.S. Legislative search engine for the U.S. Congress at www.thomas.gov/w.thomas.gov/ and enter the appropriate bill number for details on each.

Global Warming Education Resources

• U.S. EPA Global Climate Change Education
  [http://www.epa.gov/Education/globalclimate.html]
  http://epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/school.html
• Energy Education Resources: Kindergarten through 12th Grade
  [http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/eer/kiddietoc.html]
• Global Change Education Program (DOE)
  [http://www.atmos.anl.gov/GCEP/]
• NOAA Education & Outreach-Paleoclimatology
  [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/education.html]
• NOAA Education: Climate Change and Our Planet
  [http://www.education.noaa.gov/cclimate.html]
• Earth Observatory: Global Warming (NASA)
  [http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/GlobalWarmingUpdate/]
• Global Change and Environmental Education Resources (U.S. Global Change Research Information Office)
  [http://www.gcrio.org/educ.html]
• NOW For Educators: Global Warming (PBS)
  [http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/globalwarming.html]
• Teachers' Guide to High Quality Educational Materials on Climate Change and Global Warming
  [http://hdgc.epp.cmu.edu/teachersguide/teachersguide.htm]
• Global Warming-Kids Page (Pew Center on Global Climate Change)
  [http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-basics/kidpage.cfm]
• Global Warming (Weather Eye)
  [http://weathereye.kgan.com/expert/warming/index.html]
• Classroom Activities (Jet Propulsion Laboratory/NASA)
  [http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/educators/topex.html]
• Curriculum Resources from the Union of Concerned Scientists
  [http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/global-warming-materials-for-educators.html]
  http://climatehotmap.org/curriculum/index.html
• Lesson Plans: Global Warming (Atmospheric Radiation Measurement [ARM} Program's Teacher Lounge, U.S. Department of Energy)
  [http://education.arm.gov/teacherslounge/lessons/global.stm]
• Fight Global Warming (Starbucks Coffee Company and Global Green USA)
  [http://www.planetgreengame.com]
• Global Warming Education & Lesson Plan: Global Climate Change: The Effects of Global Warming
  [http://climatechangeeducation.org/]
• Global Warming Student Speakout - Top 50 Ideas (Google)
  [http://www.google.com/educators/globalwarming_results.html]
• The Science of Global Warming
  [http://www.seeds2learn.com/greenIndex.html]
• Global Warming 101 (Will Steger Foundation)
  [http://www.globalwarming101.com/]

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