WELCOME TO THE DENVER CLIMATE STUDY GROUP
(last updated: February 2nd, 2012)

INTRODUCTION TO OUR GROUP:
ABOUT THE DENVER CLIMATE STUDY GROUP: Paul Belanger and Genevieve Young, with the help and contributions of Bob Raynolds, have been leading a study group at the Denver Museum of Natural Science (DMNS), with thanks due to Kirk Johnson since the fall of 2006. The group initially started as a global warming study group for geologists, but morphed to cover a much greater range of topics. Paul, a research associate of the Museum of Nature and Science, has a research background in paleoclimate using foraminiferal microfossils and stable isotopes to generate data to interpret past climates. The meeting format waned off and but the group continued to grow and is now a Yahoo discussion group (since September 2009): http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/DenverClimateStudygroup/. This is a closed group; please go to the site if interested and see the information there on how to contact me, or email me - contact information at the bottom of this page.

We originally posted all talks, links and attachments at Elk Resources website. That no longer being available to us I personally try to keep up this website and sub-pages up-to-date with pertinent articles/links associated with the ongoings of the discussion group. Please continue to scroll to look at attachments/links and more information about our group.

NEW LINK (2/1/2012): IODP: CLIMATE AND OCEAN CHANGE: READING THE PAST, INFORMING THE FUTURE

WHAT DO OUR MOST PRESTIGIOUS SCIENTIFIC AGENCIES SAY ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?:

AAAS: CLIMATE REALTED POLICY STATEMENTS: http://www.aaas.org/policy_pos.shtml to see a full list of resolutions and statements by the AAAS Board, dating back to 1848.):

GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA: GSA Position Statement Adopted October 2006; revised April 2010

AAPG - American Association of Petroleum Geologists: Climate Change Statement (or in pdf version)


*****************************************

CLIMATE INDICATORS FROM NASA (http://climate.nasa.gov/keyIndicators/)

*****************************************

Climate Change: Science and Consequences for Colorado: Slides from: workshop/seminar focused on Climate Change caused by human activity and the looming consequences for Colorado and the West: http://www.maxtyler.us/ClimateChange.aspx (Colorado State Representative - district 23) - includes slide presentations of:

- Dr. Dag Nummedal, Colorado School of Mines - Climate Change and Effects
- Dan Snare, Warren Tech - Science as a Way of Thinking
- Dr. Caspar Amman, NCAR - Key Evidence for Climate Change
- Dr. Charles Kutscher - Science vs. Skeptics
- Brad Udall, CU-NOAA Western Water Assessment - Hotter and Drier
- Dr. Ian Billick, Rocky Mountain Bio Lab - Biology of Climate Change
- Rev. Peter Sawtell, Eco-Justice Ministries - Climate Ethics

*****************************************

More Recently created or updated web pages :

*****************************************

Other links:

  • HOME a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
    HOME a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand http://www.goodplanet.org/:
    An extraordinary film Home by Yann Arthus-Bertrand (h/t to Daniel Bailey). Yann Arthus-Bertrand is famous for his aerial photography and this film features a dazzling series of aerial shots of the Earth. Each shot is a piece of art. Stringing it together is a compelling story narrated by Glenn Close. It speaks of the Earth's beauty and the balance of nature's ecosystems. It documents how humans have disrupted the balance and our unsustainable trajectory. But like any good climate message, it ends with hopeful and positive actions already occurring.

Colorado Links:

LATEST UPDATES AND UPLOADS GSA policy position (draft), geo-engineering, Susan Solomon slides, Arctic cooling, polls and more!

TOPICS

  • IPCC reports
  • Methane
  • Geologic history of CO2
  • PETM (Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum) as a natural analogue to present day, man-made increases in CO2 in the atmosphere
  • Arctic coring expedition (ACEX)
  • Azolla event in the late Eocene that set the stage for the late Cenozoic glacial stages
  • Alternative energy solutions: PV, CSP, Wind, Geothermal
  • Resource issues, global and domestic
  • Solar Variability
  • Role of clouds
  • Peak Oil
  • Geoengineering
  • Biochar and its potential to an agricultural revolution as well as a potential sequestration "tool"
  • Sequestration potential for CO2 / Colorado's role
  • Sources and Solutions: energy and otherwise
  • Future climates - beyond man
  • ADDITIONALLY: we've compiled and collected PowerPoints and published articles, with author permissions, of other talks related to these themes - from the Rocky Mountain association of Geologists (RMAG), the American Association of Geologists (AAPG), Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA), Western Interior Paleontological Society (WIPS), American Solar Energy Society (ASES), Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES), Association for the study of Peak oil and gas (ASPO), as well as excerpts from RealClimate.org & Skeptical Science.com
  • CONTRIBUTORS have come from NCAR/UCAR, , NOAA, Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado, USGS, Colorado Geological Survey, DMNS, and private industry/persons, state Geologists, Weatherman-Scientists
  • INCLUDED are folders of data and information on the Arctic, Coal, CO2, Biochar, incomplete compendium of emails, ethanol, IPCC reports (partial), NAS, Oceanography, Other-Misc (including the Arctic Azolla event), Schneider, Senate hearings, Trenberth's talks, Water vapor, Paleoclimates symposium (partial), Zachos - PETM

IN THE WORKS:

We plan renewing our talk series in the upcoming months at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in 2012: Richard Alley, Mike Nelson, Kirk Johnson, Mark Serreze, possibly John Fielder

Talks and data will be archived at this site: http://www.denverclimatestudygroup.com/

Please contact Paul Belanger AT pebelanger@glassdesignresources.com IF YOU WISH to get on the email contact list