January Climate Science News
By Carla Wise

Climate change and tree planting

Tree planting is an increasingly popular activity associated with “carbon offsetting“ projects people and businesses are buying to try to neutralize their carbon emissions. However, recent studies suggest that planting trees outside the tropics may not help slow climate change. Dr. G. Bala, Dr. K. Caldeira, and others used a computer model to determine the impact forests in different parts of the world would have on temperature. The analysis found that forests in tropical regions cool the planet by sequestering carbon dioxide and by increasing evaporation, which increases cloud cover. However, forests planted in other latitudes may have neutral or even harmful effects on climate change. This is because while these forests absorb carbon, they also tend to be darker than fields or farms they replace. Darker vegetation absorbs more sunlight, holding more heat near ground level. This effect is most pronounced in snowy areas, where planting trees may actually have an overall warming effect.

See the following articles for more details on this work:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/12/planting_trees.php

http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/108542.html

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051206162547.htm

Polar bears and melting ice

The US Fish and Wildlife Service agreed in January to decide whether to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Citing warming temperatures that are melting the sea ice on which polar bears depend, the agency has said it will decide within a year whether listing is warranted. The announcement came after several environmental groups took the agency to court for failure to respond to requests to give the polar bear protection under the ESA.

There is growing evidence that polar bear habitat (sea ice) is declining quickly with a rapidly warming arctic. There is also evidence from some polar bear populations of declining numbers, fewer offspring, and thinner bears.

For more information, see:

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/stories/20070122/localnews/151449.shtml

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/23/ap/tech/mainD8MR9OMG2.shtml

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/315/5808/25?etoc

  • September 20, 2006 - Marsh Inc, Ceres and the Yale School of Forestry announce at the Clinton Global Initiative that they will commit $1.2 million over four years to create the Sustainable Governance Forum, a leadership development program that will prepare corporate directors for the business risks of climate change. The Forum, which will educate over 200 board members from Fortune 1000 companies, has developed, in part, out of recommendations for actions proposed at the Yale F&ES 2005 Conference on Climate Change.Â

    Forum, Sept 21, 2006.
    Press release for day 1 of Clinton Global Initiative

  • AAAS Project 2061 is developing a new Atlas of Science Literacy map on weather and climate. Frank Niepold, project participant and Climate Education Fellow at NOAA is assiting AAAS in this process and would appreciate any thoughts and suggestions for the new language/edits to the selected benchmarks. This new map will be in the second volume, please click on this link to take a look. If you would like to be involved in this process, please email Frank Niepold asap at: frank.niepold@noaa.gov
  • Mindy Lubber, President of Ceres, discusses corporate governance and climate change at Yale F&ES, March, 2006 - Video 48 minutes.
  • Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change talks at Yale F&ES about the need for America to show leadership on the climate issue, and offers a comprehensive energy plan to reduce carbon emmissions. Video - 45 minutes