Climate Class description and reason for this blog

After a recap of Earth’s climate history such topics will be addressed as:

Is global warming a hoax as some have stated, an anomaly in the natural course of climate history, or are man's emissions about to cause a global warming crisis?

How are climate changes measured and what is the accuracy? What is the potential for abrupt climate change (climate tipping point) and possible causes? What are the various climate forecasts? What can be done to mitigate undesirable climate change, and does it make economic sense to atempt to do so?

Also to be addressed are recent findings on topics such as:
- current climate models, their strengths and weaknesses
- glacial melting and loss of sea ice cover
- ocean current changes and their effect on climate
- ozone hole closing
- ocean warming and acidification
- carbon sequestration, natural and forced

We will also review the possible effects of climate change on humans, as caused by sea level rise, droughts and desertification, water and its availability, food production, biodiversity, and marine life changes.

These are most difficult questions to resolve and the intent of this course is not to resolve them, nor offer but a small fraction of what has been recently reported, but to bring them to the attention of the class.

Time will be allotted for class discussion, and is also hoped that this blog will provide a venue for additional discussion.