Page - 166 - in Water, Energy, and Environment - A Primer

To a large extent public policies reflect widely held public values. In reviewing the literature of recent years on the policy issues associated with water, energy, and environment, there was one overriding issue: how to address the challenge of global warming and climate change. It encompasses all three elements of the nexus that this book discusses, and arises from a value reflected in all human societies, the need to protect members of those societies and leave a better world for our children and grandchildren. It is in this context that I will discuss policy issues. 10.1 IMPORTANTQUESTIONS Asa first step I list someof themore important questions that an attempt to address climate changemust consider: • Is there aphysical basis for understandingglobalwarming and climate change? • Is there documented evidence for global warming and climate change? • Can global warming and climate change be attributed to humanactivities, andwhat are those activities? • What are the potential short- and long-term impacts of global warming and climate changewith respect to water supply, environment, andhealth? • What is the anticipated time scale for these impacts? • What can be done to mitigate the onset and potential impacts of globalwarming and climate change? I will address each of these considerations in turn, discuss its current policy context, andoffer policy recommendations. 10.1.1 Is thereaphysicalbasis forunderstanding globalwarmingandclimatechange? As discussed in Chapter 4, global warming (also known as the greenhouse effect) is the process by which gases in the Water,Energy, andEnvironment–APrimer166