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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999
FROM VOLUME 3, NUMBER 7, JULY 1990
"Decade of Decision," M.K. Tolba (UNEP), J. Air Waste Mgmt.
Assoc., 40(5), 612-614, May 1990.
In an address to the U.N. General Assembly's key Second Committee, the
executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme justifies the
need to convene in 1992 a United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development. This conference should get government commitments to specific
targets and resources to achieve them on climate change, ozone depletion and
other global problems.
"Aerosol Climatology," O. Preining (Inst. Experimentalphys.,
Univ. Wien, Strudlhofgasse 4, A-1090 Vienna, Austria), J. Aerosol Sci.,
21(1), 1, 1990.
There is growing evidence that aerosols must be considered at least as
important as the greenhouse gases; an aerosol climatology must be developed so
that aerosol contributions to climate change can be incorporated in predictive
"Whatever Happened to the Mini Ice Age?" J. Gribbin, New
Sci., 58, Apr. 14, 1990.
Refutes the report by the George C. Marshall Institute, which suggests that
action to curb the production of greenhouse gases may be premature and that, as
a result of solar activity, a cold spell might still be on the agenda. If the
report is correct, the evidence of past climate rhythms implies the little ice
age predicted should have already happened. We did not notice it because the
greenhouse effect was so much stronger, and we must act now to reduce the
greenhouse effect and reduce costs involved.
"Hands Up for the Gaia Hypothesis," J.E. Lovelock, Nature,
344(6262), 100-102, Mar. 8, 1990.
Explains the history, the arguments, the evidence and the criticisms of
Gaia, and where it now stands. Argues that whether or not Gaia is an accurate
description of the earth, it forces a different view from that of conventional
wisdom and provides a view that could be crucial to understanding the
consequences of pollution and environmental disturbances.
"Engineer in the White House," J. Maddox, ibid., 103.
Chief of Staff John Sununu sees his role in the greenhouse warming debate as
typical of the role of technical people in government. He will act only when he
has all of the facts.
"International Negotiations on Global Climate Change: An Overview
and Perspective," W.A. Nitze (Environ. Law Inst., Washington, D.C.), World
Clim. Change Rep., 35-36, Mar. 1990.
Reports (like that of the George C. Marshall Institute) that question the
likelihood of significant global warming have received favorable attention from
senior U.S. officials anxious to minimize pressure for what they regard as
premature and economically costly policy responses. In contrast, the world
community has moved fast to coordinate efforts to deal with potential climate