San Diego Scientists Say Extreme Events Caused By Climate Change Could Spur Action

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Photo by Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

Above: Flames from a wildfire burn Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, in Napa, Calif. The fire is one of several burning across Northern California's wine country.

Aired 8/8/18 on KPBS Midday Edition

San Diego Climate Scientists Say Extreme Events Caused By Climate Change Could Spur Action

GUEST:

Veerabhadran “Ram” Ramanathan, professor of climate and atmospheric sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Transcript for audioclip 41082

If people in wealthy nations start to realize that the fires, flooding, droughts and heatwaves surrounding them are due to climate change, will they take action?

That’s the hope of two UC San Diego scientists who co-authored an article in "Foreign Affairs" magazine along with three members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Social Sciences.

The authors propose that as the rich nations of the earth see a greater impact from a changing climate world leaders will increase their efforts to limit carbon emissions and create technology that could remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It is a hopeful message, coming at a time of great concern about our ability to avert a growing environmental catastrophe.

Veerabhadran “Ram” Ramanathan, professor of climate and atmospheric sciences at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, co-authored the article in Foreign Affairs magazine with UC San Diego political science professor David Victor. The two San Diego professors collaborated with Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Social Sciences members Msgr. Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, Partha Dasgupta and Joachim von Braun. The two pontifical academies promote the study and progress of their fields, including elements that the Catholic Church can use in its doctrine.

Ramanathan joins Midday Edition Wednesday to discuss the research he thinks will lead to the world taking action on climate change.

Summer of Space Banner The urgency of addressing human causes of climate change has long been apparent. To amplify this issue that's paramount to us all, KPBS has launched a Climate Change Desk to step up our coverage of this existential threat including reported stories and interviews with experts and newsmakers.