|
AIR/ATMOSPHERE by Dan Lashoff |
1. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The most up-to-date and authoritative source for climate change science, based on international assessments involving more than 2000 of the worlds top experts. Read and/or download the detailed "policymaker's" summaries of the landmark Second Assessment Report, as well as recently-completed special reports.
Where the data are. This particular part of EPA's extensive site provides emissions data for all power plants covered by the continuous emissions monitoring requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (almost all fossil units over 25 MW). Data are available for SOx, NOx, CO2, and heat input. It is possible both to download the full database and to look up individual plants by state online (preliminary 1996 data are currently available). There are also excellent state summary maps from the 1995 data (see the 1995 scorecard). So check it out!
3. CREST
The largest part of the solution to air pollution and global warming problems: sustainable energy technologies. This is a great site for information about energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable tech, with lots of useful links. Examples of available information include software for determining solar strategies.
4. Cities for Climate Protection campaign of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)
Comprehensive information on climate change, tailored to urban areas. Over one hundred and fifty municipalities have joined the campaign to reduce local emissions of carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming and related air pollutants. It's the ultimate how-to guide for those who want to think globally and act locally.
5. The Global Climate Coalition
This benign-sounding group is actually the coalition of oil companies, automakers, and trade associations fighting action to protect the planet from global warming. Not much original content, but you'll gain insight into the group's perspective plus many useful links to other resources.
Dan Lashoff is the Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council.