world view of global warming




climate image library

 

braasch photography

Gary Braasch
Photographer & Journalist
PO Box 1465
Portland, OR 97207 USA
Phone: 503.860.1228

Environmental Photography
Website

warming

Climate change app for IPad and IPhone,
Painting With Time: Climate Change.

UN Calendar Portfolio

Sources of information for citizens and educators from Earth Under Fire and World View of Global Warming

This new report, the 2014 U.S. National Climate Assessment, is packed with facts, ideas, problems and solutions, and is a guide to how your area is already feeling climate disruption and what your neighbors and businesses are beginning to do about it. The Assessment report connects the U.S. -- with less than 2 percent of the total area of the Earth, but directly causing more than 17 percent of greenhouse gas pollution -- with people in the rest of the world who are also already affected by climate disruption. You can find simple digests of the findings or detailed scientific and governmental information, for the entire nation or just your region -- your choice of how deeply to read -- but it is important to understand how strongly climate disruptions are already hitting the U. S. For a visual tour of some of the Key Messages highlighted by the assessment, see this picture series.

 

Just the facts: Rapid climate change is everywhere. We are the cause. We have the power to change.

Kaheawa Wind Farm

earth day

The Most Important Things You Can Do about Rapid Climate Change:

The Most Important Things You Can Do about Rapid Climate Change:

President Obama, in his major speech introducing his plan to move the U.S. into higher gear in dealing with the climate crisis, said:

"What we need in this fight are citizens who will stand up, and speak up, and compel us to do what this moment demands. Understand this is not just a job for politicians. So I'm going to need all of you to educate your classmates, your colleagues, your parents, your friends. Tell them what’s at stake. Speak up at town halls, church groups, PTA meetings. Push back on misinformation. Speak up for the facts. Broaden the circle of those who are willing to stand up for our future. Convince those in power to reduce our carbon pollution. Push your own communities to adopt smarter practices. Invest. Divest. Remind folks there's no contradiction between a sound environment and strong economic growth. And remind everyone who represents you at every level of government that sheltering future generations against the ravages of climate change is a prerequisite for your vote. Make yourself heard on this issue."

For ideas of what you can do, try these EPA suggestions. For more info and reasons, please read on.


Just the facts: Rapid climate change is everywhere. We are the cause. We have the power to change.

In World View of Global Warming I have witnessed and photographed climate science, the effects of rapid global warming and the world's out-of-control greenhouse gas emissions. Explore the pages of this website under the Climate Changes and Climate News menus above for photos and information. Climate change is news and is now.

What is more important is that the keys to a far better, cleaner, healthier life all around us. The reality is that energy from wind, sun, water, and geothermal are available worldwide. Efficient and conservative ways to employ that power are very well known. Together they far exceed the energy the world needs and uses. We must move away from coal, oil and gas as our primary energy sources.

The basic facts are these:

One: Rapid climate change is easy to understand. Knowledge is power.

It's happening now. It's happening everywhere. It threatens all we have and the Earth's processes which make life possible. Human energy use, dependence on fossil fuels and land abuse are causing it. We have abundant power to change. Time is running short to avoid a world many degrees hotter.

In short: Rapid climate change is everywhere. We’re causing it. We have the power to change. Now. (This is Tweetable -- Tweet it now and often!)

"Why you should sweat climate change" USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/topic/5e28ddaf-145d-4eb7-9f85-abda05e32ffc/climate-change/

Easy to use information from WeatherUnderground and climate scientists. http://www.wunderground.com/earth-day/2014/infographic-climate-change-today?MR=1

"Americans are noticing changes all around them," says the U.S. Climate Assessment Report ; it predicts another 2 to 4 degrees F warming within a few decades. http://www.globalchange.gov/what-we-do/assessment/nca-overview

Global temperatures are rising rapidly. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/08/science/earth/global-temperatures-highest-in-4000-years-study-says.htm

Emissions are rising too fast. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2014/mar/08/hawaii-climate-change-second-greatest-annual-rise-emissions

The "climate dice" are loaded: Dr. James Hansen's technical paper on current climate warming. http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/briefs/hansen_17/

Other scientists agree or say some weather extremes are becoming more likely. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2012/jul/03/weather-extreme-blame-global-warming

World nations' climate actions are far less than what is needed. http://www.climateactiontracker.org/

American health is at risk. http://healthyamericans.org/reports/environment/

Climate change health effects range from storm deaths to long-term illness (see below).

"Fingerprints of climate change can be seen virtually everywhere in nature:" Ecologist Thomas Lovejoy. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/22/opinion/global/the-climate-change-endgame.html

Entire growing zones in the U.S. are moving north. http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/rethinking-the-new-zone-hardiness-map/

"Why you should sweat climate change" USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/topic/5e28ddaf-145d-4eb7-9f85-abda05e32ffc/climate-change/

Basic information about climate changes, weather, health and current events from Climate Nexus: http://climatenexus.org/resources/read/ and
http://climatenexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/climatechangeprimer.pdf

Two: Coal is the greatest single contributor to climate change emissions.

warming

All efforts must turn toward slowing and quickly stopping the use of coal. It is the fuel for 42 percent of world electricity and many industries, but at an unacceptable cost of deadly pollution, land destruction and more than 40 percent of CO2 emissions. We must price it out of business. Invent it out of business. Legislate it, tax it, force it, protest it, shame it out of business. Everywhere. Alternatives abound.

The true cost of using coal. http://www.desmogblog.com/true-cost-coal-half-trillion-dollars-year

Woman in Chicago fights poisonous coal plants and wins -- is awarded Goldman Prize. http://www.goldmanprize.org/recipient/kimberly-wasserman

Coal also creates dust and soot, as do other fuels and land use, which have additional global warming effects. http://www.unep.org/ccac/ShortLivedClimatePollutants/tabid/101650/Default.aspx

Pricing it and other fossil fuels out of the market: Carbon Fees. http://www.citizensclimatelobby.org/node/444

Thomas Friedman on carbon taxes. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/17/opinion/sunday/friedman-its-lose-lose-vs-win-win-win-win-win.html?pagewanted=all

 

Three: There is no "environmentally safe" way to get oil, gas and coal.

turn down the heatIf we get it out of the ground without damaging the land, water or sea -- and stop me if you've heard this, but we can not do that --- we then will spill it during transport, pollute and poison air and water and send greenhouse gasses irrevocably high when we burn it. And not incidentally all the while paying dearly for the waste, slop, damaged groundwater, injury and death, political and military mayhem that our fossil fuel folly brings on. Every reduction in use counts, because every molecule of CO2 we launch into the atmosphere will be there for generations. The International Energy Agency says, "The most important contribution to reaching energy security and climate goals comes from the energy that we do not consume." Leave it in the ground.

Oil spills everywhere.   http://incidentnews.noaa.gov/map
"Awash with Carbon" describes our current energy use. http://www.nature.com/news/the-global-energy-challenge-awash-with-carbon-1.11909
We are too near the climate danger point to burn much more fossil fuel. http://insideclimatenews.org/print/24130 


If we use it, the coal and oil known to be in the ground will take the world into a climate hell.  http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719#ixzz21scR2QLk 
Only 20% of the total reserves can be burned  http://www.carbontracker.org/carbonbubble 
International Energy Agency's 2012 report. http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/name,33339,en.html
We must do better than these predictions. http://www.countercurrents.org/arguimbau300712.htm 
Turn down the heat, says the World Bank. http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2012/11/18/new-report-examines-risks-of-degree-hotter-world-by-end-of-century

Four: We are on the verge of a new post-industrial revolution. Wind, water, waves, solar, geothermal and more. The time of clean, perpetual, widespread, ethical and healthy energy is now.

We must get on with it and turn all our resources to researching, demonstrating and installing efficient and non-carbon power generation for all the people of the world. Mark Jacobson and Mark Delucchi’s research shows “Supplies of wind and solar energy on accessible land dwarf the energy consumed by people around the globe.” Stop spending money on new drilling and mining and the impossible dream of "clean" fossil fuel power generation. Instead put all that money and engineering talent into energy conservation, solar, wind, waterpower, geothermal, hydrogen fuel cells and new inventions. Put a price on fossil fuel at the mine and well so that its horrible pollution and health costs are paid for and its use will shrink. Retrain those now in fossil industries to be leaders in the future of fuel.

Powering the planet with renewables.   http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=a-path-to-sustainable-energy-by-2030

Ultimately we have to stop dumping CO2 into the atmosphere altogether; ideas of what it might require. http://www.ess.uci.edu/~sjdavis/

The vision of a “sustaining, post-growth economy.” http://grist.org/climate-energy/gus-speth-ultimate-insider-goes-radical/

Price Waterhouse Coopers on sustainable business and climate change.http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/sustainability/publications/index.jhtml

I say these things knowing full well the transition I and others are calling for in impatient words is an enormous task. Many actions are already underway to reduce emissions, showing the way ahead, but they are just the beginning. Most of the changes that we so obviously need and are so clearly possible have been held back at every turn by political cowardice, the greed of some companies, international obstructionism and public indifference. Part of way past these blockades was signaled by President Obama's climate speech on June 25, 2014, as he brought his detailed action plan to the public, challenging every American to confront climate change as he ordered the Executive Branch to take the lead.

The President's plan: putting coal emissions under control of the Clean Air Act; increasing deployment of renewable energy; efficiency in homes, vehicles and industry; helping American communities become more resilient to climate changes; and being a stronger leader in international climate action. Full text of Obama's June 25, 2013 speech. The government's detailed action plan and the National Climate Assessment (see top of page) are very important sources of information.

Car mileage standards, the recession and replacement of coal by natural gas all contribute to the U.S. lowering its carbon emissions recently.   http://judithcurry.com/2014/04/21/what-are-the-factors-contributing-to-the-reduction-in-u-s-carbon-emissions/

Climate politics and what the President can do. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/obamas-climate-challenge-20140117 

The U.S. government is responding to climate change. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=obama-administration-releases-first-ever-climate-adaptation-plans

A larger view of why action must ramp up now because of the time it takes the world to change. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jake-schmidt/five-reasons-we-need-a-ne_b_3182682.html

Having the facts is one step in overcoming the blockades and stemming the tide of rapid climate change. The work is for our generation, it can not wait. Know that your actions are meaningful in this great challenge. I am determined that the human spirit and intellectual power will win out over ignorance, greed and poverty.

Bill Moyers on climate change.   http://billmoyers.com/episode/full-show-ending-the-silence-on-climate-change/

The morality of energy use and climate change. http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Moral-Storm-Ethical-Environmental/dp/0195379446

health effects graph

To visualize many of climate change effects, run your finger over Painting With Time: Climate Change, available now from Apple's App Store for iPad and iPhone. Best climate app of 2012: Yale Forum on Climate Change and the Media. Featured in USA Today on Earth Day 2014. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/painting-time-climate-change/id508986580?ls=1&mt=8 

----------------------------------------------
An updated paperback edition of Earth Under Fire is in stores and as an e-book from University of California Press

warmingEarth Under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the World is a comprehensive look at the world wide effects of climate change, its implications, and what action is being taken about it. In dramatic photographs and quotes from world climate science leaders, this book shows how the earth is being changed right now. Earth Under Fire ends with a vision of how we can slow global warming and improve the lives of people everywhere. Al Gore says: "The power of Gary Braasch's personal witness to the climate crisis makes this essential reading for every citizen."

Chosen one of the 50 Best Environmental Books and Media by Vanity Fair

Information and preview at earthunderfire.com

gaia

Climate Communications Journal Article (PDF)
Read about Gary Braasch's experiences in documenting climate change, and how to best communicate with the public and politicians. Science ideas should be more visible in society, he says, and not only from researchers and journalists: "We need more Simpsons, Jon Stewart and symphonies for science."

Renowned American climatologist Dr. James Hansen, who just retired from NASA, says we already have too much CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the air: "If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted ... CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 395 ppm to at most 350 ppm."

350This is scary and controversial, but Dr. Hansen and others believe we must act fast -- as a world of concerned people and leaders taking every action we can to limit greenhouse emissions. 350.org is a worldwide but intensely localized movement of citizens from around the world which I recommend for its clarity of purpose and worthy goal.

top of page

COPYRIGHT NOTICE:

Photography and text Copyright © 2005 - 2017 (and before) Gary Braasch All rights reserved. Use of photographs in any manner without permission is prohibited by US copyright law. Photography is available for license to publications and other uses. Please contact requestinformation@worldviewofglobalwarming.org. View more of Gary Braasch's photography here.