Sharing the Adventure with the Public The Value and Excitement of 'Grand Questions' of Space Science and Exploration: Summary of a Workshop (2011) / Chapter Skim
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Session 5: The Earth: Will It Remain a Hospitable Home for Humanity in the Future?
Session 5: The Earth: Will It Remain a Hospitable Home for Humanity in the Future?
Pages 35-42
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From page 35... ...
Member Speakers: Berrien Moore III, University of Oklahoma; SSB Member; Former Co-Chair of the National Research Council Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Community Assessment and Strategy for the Future Roger-Maurice Bonnet, International Space Science Institute, Switzerland Panelists: Andrew Lawler, Science Journalist Christie Nicholson, Journalist and Online Contributor, Scientific American INTRODUCTION Molly Macauley, a senior fellow at Resources for the Future and a member of the SSB, used her introduction to set the context for the speakers. She outlined three points: "the policy relevance [of Earth science research from space]
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From page 36... ...
3 Moore went on to discuss global climate change and the measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, since 1957 (Figure 10)
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From page 37... ...
(See Figures 11 and 12.) Quoting from the 2007 IPCC report, Moore said the "Faustian bargain" is that "anthropogenic warming and sea level rise would continue for centuries due to the timescales associated with climate processes and feedbacks, even if greenhouse gas concentrations were to be stabilised."4 What We Think We Know Therefore, what we think we know, Moore said, is that the planet is warming in response to the increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, the increase in global temperatures will alter rainfall patterns, the climate will continue to change even when CO2 is stabilized, and climate change itself will likely change the atmospheric concentration of CO2, and carbon cycle sinks may weaken.
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From page 38... ...
FIGURE 12 Envisat, a "new" northwest passage, September 2007. SOURCE: Courtesy of the European Space Agency.
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From page 39... ...
Thus, one would need 850 of these wind farm equivalents every year just to stay even, not to swap anything out. The world's largest nuclear power plant produces the equivalent electricity of 42 of the largest wind farms, so 20 of the largest nuclear power plants would have to be built every year to stay even.
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From page 40... ...
What is true for the ISS is also true for Earth, he said, and illustrated a number of other problems facing Earth in addition to climate change. Referring to the 1971 Apollo 13 lunar mission that nearly ended in tragedy and the crew's urgent call "Houston, we have a problem," Bonnet asked, "Where is Houston for ‘Space Station' Earth?
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From page 41... ...
In response to a question from Macauley about how the climate science community should tell its stories, Nicholson said that she does not think the public considers NASA or the space program as the source of information about climate change. She thinks the public would be quite surprised to learn how much climate information comes from NASA missions.
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From page 42... ...
Thus, they are open to messages from those with vested interests who may not directly dispute climate change science, but raise doubt about it. How do you put a dollar cost on not doing anything in order to "scare people," to make them understand that the quality of their lifestyles will go down if nothing is done, he asked.
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