LLNL researchers attend UN climate meeting
Three Livermore researchers are in Copenhagen this week to participate in the 192-nation United Nations climate conference.
Principal Associate Director at Large Jane Long; Doug Rotman, program director of energy and environmental security; and atmospheric scientist Phil Duffy are attending the meeting.
At Copenhagen, parameters will be set for a new climate change agreement. The United States and China, two of the world's biggest polluters, have set targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Long is discussing geoengineering, including how mitigation is the single most important strategy to deal with climate change. She will point out that geoengineering should be explored as a possible option to deal with climate emergencies. She will speak during a "Science, Research and International Governance of Geoengineering" side event on this today as well as on Friday, Dec. 18.
Although the climate conference may not yield a new global climate treaty with every minor detail in place, it may close with agreements on four political essentials:
- How much are the industrialized countries willing to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases?
- How much are major developing countries such as China and India willing to do to limit the growth of their emissions?
- How is the help needed by developing countries to engage in reducing their emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change going to be financed?
- How is that money going to be managed?
