February 28, 2007
GCRIO Program Overview
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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 7, NUMBERS 11-12, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1994
Global Warming Challenge: Understanding and Coping with Climate
Change in Canada," H. Hengeveld (Environ. Canada, Downsview
ON M3H 5T4, Can.), Environ. Sci. & Technol., 28(12),
519A-523A, Nov. 1994.
Because of its large geographic area and extensive coastline,
Canada could be widely and variously affected by climate change,
which would necessitate significant adjustments in Canadian
society and economy. Summarized is the Canadian Climate Program
and research being coordinated through that Program. A national
action program, being developed through consultation with stake
holders, will be launched in March 1995.
Ozone Causes Health Concern--How Canada Forecasts Ultraviolet-B
Radiation," J.B. Kerr (address above), ibid.,
In March 1994, Canada introduced Ozone Watch, a weekly
bulletin of the state of the ozone layer over Canada. This public
awareness program was developed as an extension of existing
programs (weather prediction and monitoring, and monitoring ozone
and UV-B). This effort is small compared with existing
operations, but potential benefits are large if adverse health
effects are decreased. The article details how UV-B is measured,
and how the index works, is produced and used.
GATT Panel Decision on Automobile Taxes," S. Charnovitz, Intl.
Environ. Rptr., pp. 921-922, Nov. 2, 1994.
In September, a dispute panel of the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade ruled against the European Community that the
U.S. gas guzzler tax on automobiles was consistent with GATT;
however it also ruled that some provisions of the U.S. CAFE law
violated international trade laws. This is the first complex
environmental dispute to come before GATT, and if adopted will be
a landmark case. Although some have cited this as evidence that
GATT is not a danger to environmental laws, this portrayal as a
major shift toward the environment is exaggerated. The most
worrisome element is the truncation of GATT Article III to only
one portion of a product's life cycle; in this instance GATT
seems to be traveling in a different direction than the rest of
the world. Before Article III is interpreted in this way, the
matter should be carefully studied; the decision should not be
adopted by the GATT Council.
Is Environmental Protection So Slow?" B.R. Döös (Global
Environ. Mgmt., Jordangasse 7/13, A-1010 Vienna, Austria), Global
Environ. Change, 4(3), 179-184, 1994.
Although there were early recognitions that the environment is
not an inexhaustible resource, little or no attention was paid to
the need for its protection before the 1972 Stockholm
Environmental Conference. As new threats are identified, actions
designed to reduce environmental degradation continue, for a
variety of reasons, to be slow and insufficient. Scientists do
not always present results in a form easily interpreted by policy
makers; the general public is receiving insufficient objective
information. Scientists, who represent a minority view on an
issue, are often favored by governments. Makes several
suggestions for scientists, the mass media, environmental groups
Summit: An Innovative Method for Teaching the Policy Relevance of
Earth System Science," C. Gautier (Earth-Space Res. Group,
CRSEO, Ellison Hall, Univ. California, Santa Barbara CA 93106),
D. Schweizer, Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 75(11),
2171-2174, Nov. 1994.
To teach the policy relevance of earth system science, a
"mini-Rio Summit" has been added to the University's
curriculum. This encourages dialogue among students, who take the
parts of various nations, on topics of global changes, and
broadens their awareness of political and socioeconomical
of Atmospheric Carbon in India's Forests," A.N. Chaturvedi
(Tata Energy Res. Inst., India Habitat Ctr., Lodi Rd., New Delhi
- 110 003, India), Ambio, 23(7), 460-461, Nov.
Briefly details the uses of forests in India, where the
possibility of increasing forest cover or carbon sequestration is
minimal without changes in management. These could include
introducing forestry management with long harvest rotations, and
reducing the livestock populations grazing in the forests.
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Index of Abbreviations