May 13, 2007: Climate Change and Global Warming - Richard Somerville

Art Bell welcomes climate scientist Richard Somerville, a distinguished professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for a thorough discussion of global warming and its accelerating impacts. Somerville explains the basic science behind the greenhouse effect and presents evidence that human carbon dioxide emissions are the primary driver of rising temperatures, while acknowledging the complexity of climate modeling.

The conversation addresses specific projections, including a NASA study suggesting eastern U.S. summer temperatures could rise nearly ten degrees Fahrenheit by the 2080s, with cities like Chicago, Washington, and Atlanta potentially averaging between 100 and 110 degrees during dry spells. Somerville discusses the international dimension of the crisis, noting that China is poised to surpass the United States in carbon emissions and opens a new coal-fired power plant every few days.

Art presses Somerville on practical solutions and political obstacles, including the influence of industry-funded skepticism that mirrors tactics once used by the tobacco lobby. They discuss the so-called BRIC nations, the challenge of balancing economic development with environmental responsibility, and why Somerville believes the scientific consensus on human-caused warming is as strong as the link between smoking and lung cancer.