The Global Warming Debate: The Heat is On

Charles F. Keller

Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics

Mail Stop MS C-305

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87545

Recent findings, from both observations and modeling have increased certainty in anthropogenic aspects of global warming to the extent that the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 1995 update said it is very likely that humans are causing a significant portion of the warming measured over the past century. Research since 1995, while not changing this stance, has given more credence to a solar component during the first half of this century. The reaction to the IPCC's historic statement heated up debate over the reality and extent of the problem at UN's world conference on climate change held last December in Kyoto, Japan as well as in the popular press.

This talk will update the research findings, discuss remaining conundrums, comment on the vocal opposition to the IPCC's report, and discuss projections for further increases of carbon in the atmosphere, the tentative agreements arrived at Kyoto, and the increasing role of the DOE in climate studies and carbon reduction.