School Notes: School of the Environment
September/October 2011

Center Will Study Climate in China

The environment school is collaborating with the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) to conduct joint research on atmospheric and climate sciences. Researchers with the Yale-NUIST Center on Atmospheric Environment in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, will investigate land-use change in China and its impact on the climate system, teach methods of conducting environmental research, measure the transfer of water and energy between the atmosphere and polluted Lake Taihu, and analyze the various sources of carbon dioxide and water in the air. “The emphasis will be on examining science and policy questions relevant to local and regional economic development that, at the same time, have the potential for fundamental theoretical advances,” said Xuhui Lee, professor of meteorology at F&ES. Jiangsu Province has the second-largest economy in China. Air and water pollution and natural-resource depletion are rampant there as a result of rapid urbanization, road expansion, and industrial growth.

Americans’ Views on Climate Change

When it comes to climate change, Americans fall into one of six categories of differing attitudes and behaviors, according to a recent study by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication. Nearly 40 percent of American adults fall into the two groups most concerned about climate change: the ‘Alarmed’ and the ‘Concerned.’ By contrast, 25 percent are in the two groups on the other end of the spectrum, the ‘Dismissive’ and the ‘Doubtful.’ The researchers found that more than 75 percent of the ‘Alarmed’ and ‘Concerned’ groups say that global warming is caused mostly by human activities, while over half of the ‘Doubtful’ and ‘Dismissive’ say it’s natural, and an additional 43 percent of the ‘Dismissive’ say it’s not happening at all. According to the report, many Americans remain uncertain about the issue and say they could easily change their minds about global warming, with the ‘Disengaged’ and ‘Cautious’ being the most uncertain of the six groups. Many want more information before making up their minds.