Clouds in the Balance (open access)

Clouds in the Balance

This feature article provides a summary of study about the role of clouds in the balance. Until recently, scientists were uncertain whether clouds had an overall net cooling or heating effect on the Earth's climate. But recent studies show that, in the tropics, a "near cancellation" between shortwave cooling and longwave warming exists, which indicates that the amount of incoming radiant energy is roughly equal to the amount of outgoing radiation. However, small changes in tropical cloudiness can disrupt this precarious balance.
Date: October 11, 2001
Creator: Schmidt, Laurie J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The National Tenth Five-Year Plan for Environmental Protection(Abstract) (open access)

The National Tenth Five-Year Plan for Environmental Protection(Abstract)

The State Council approved the National Tenth Five-Year Plan for Environmental Protection on 26 December 2001, requesting that loca1 governments and the various departments strengthen environmental protection in close relation with the economic restructuring; raise funds for environmental protection through multiple channels in connection with the expansion of domestic demand, and establish the mechanism of environmental protection with the government playing the dominant role with market promotion and public participation. The State Council emphasizes that local governments should undertake the major responsibilities of environmental protection. The governments at various levels should integrate the tasks of the Plan into the target responsibility system for provincial governors, mayors, and county heads. Periodic examination should be carried out on the targets of total pollutant discharge control and environmental quality. The implementation of the Plan should be inspected and reported on every year. The State Council requests that the relevant departments should provide guidance and support in implementing the Plan according to their respective responsibilities. The State Environmental Protection Administration should conduct coordinated supervision, management, and inspection of the implementation of the Plan.
Date: December 26, 2001
Creator: State Environmental Protection Administration
System: The UNT Digital Library
Our Changing Planet: The FY 2002 U.S. Global Change Research Program (open access)

Our Changing Planet: The FY 2002 U.S. Global Change Research Program

This document, which is produced annually, describes the activities and plans of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), which was established in 1989 and authorized by Congress in the Global Change Research Act of 1990. Strong bipartisan support for this inter-agency program has resulted in more than a decade's worth of scientific accomplishment. "Because there is considerable uncertainty in current understanding of how the climate system varies naturally and reacts to emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols, current estimates of the magnitude of future warming should be regarded as tentative and subject to future adjustments (either upward or downward). Reducing the wide range of uncertainty inherent in current model predictions of global climate change will require major advances in understanding and modeling of both (1) the factors that determine atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols, and (2) the so-called 'feedbacks' that determine the sensitivity of the climate system to a prescribed increase in greenhouse gases. There is also a pressing need for a global system designed for monitoring climate. Climate projections will always be far from perfect. Confidence limits and probabilistic information, with their basis, should always be considered as an integral part of the information that climate …
Date: September 2001
Creator: Subcommittee on Global Change Research, Committee on Environment and Natural Resources of the National Science and Technology Council
System: The UNT Digital Library
Powering America Myths vs. Facts in the US Energy and Global Warming Debates (open access)

Powering America Myths vs. Facts in the US Energy and Global Warming Debates

Powering America Myths vs. Facts in the US Energy and Global Warming Debates A Study for: World Wildlife Fund Tellus Institute Boston, . environmental regulations, and indefinitely postpone our obligation to protect the global climate – no matter the long-term impacts and costs. President. global warming later on. Indeed, had such demand-side efforts been underway sooner our current predicaments could have been avoided or lessened. Globally.. Today, the United States produces less than 12 percent of global oil supplies. Even with strenuous efforts by the Bush Administration.
Date: May 2001
Creator: Tellus Institute Boston, MA
System: The UNT Digital Library
New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Action Plan 2001 (open access)

New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Action Plan 2001

Recognizing the need for the region to provide leadership on the critical issue of climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers established the regional climate change program in 2000. While the northeast represents a significant economic region with greenhouse gas emissions roughly equivalent to those of Spain, climate change is an international issue for which our states and provinces are only a relatively small part of the problem. However, through their leadership the Governors and Premiers have established our region as an internationally-recognized part of the solution.
Date: August 2001
Creator: The Committee on the Environment and of the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers
System: The UNT Digital Library
Who Needs what to Implement the Kyoto Protocol?: An Assessment of Capacity Building Needs in 33 Developing Countries (open access)

Who Needs what to Implement the Kyoto Protocol?: An Assessment of Capacity Building Needs in 33 Developing Countries

For African countries, it is imperative to increase capacity for implementing both the Climate Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, in view of the continent’s vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change, including the threat to food security and sustainable development. The country surveys, which are framed around the list of perceived capacity building needs annexed to Decision 10/CP.5, provided insight into the capacity building needs of the project-countries. Hence, the aspects examined during the assessment exercise reflect some of the concerns of African countries; and the stakeholders’ responses can be taken as indications of the capacity building needs of the African countries assessed.
Date: October 2001
Creator: UNITAR with the Consortium for North-South Dialogue on Climate Change
System: The UNT Digital Library
UNEP 2000 Annual Report (open access)

UNEP 2000 Annual Report

The UNEP annual report provides an overview of UNEP's activities for the year of 2000. The report also reflects on the possible challenges that the new millennium "the Environment Millennium" may bring.
Date: 2001
Creator: United Nations Environment Programme
System: The UNT Digital Library
How Will Climate Change Affect the Mid-Atlantic Region? (open access)

How Will Climate Change Affect the Mid-Atlantic Region?

Average temperature has risen 1 degree F over the last century in the Mid-Atlantic Region as well as across the globe. Climate science is developing rapidly and many studies project additional warming. Although the future is uncertain and difficult to predict, our best science suggests the following changes are likely. The Mid-Atlantic Region will be somewhat warmer and perhaps wetter, resulting in a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. Human activities that release heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere will continue to accelerate the observed warming trend. Climate change will compound existing stresses from population density and development. The region's overall economy is quite resilient, but impacts will be more severe for some economic activities and localities.
Date: June 2001
Creator: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 3
System: The UNT Digital Library
Vision 2050: An Integrated National Transportation System (open access)

Vision 2050: An Integrated National Transportation System

This document calls for major improvements to the United States transportation infrastructure. The vision includes improvements in energy independence, environmental compatibility, safety, cost, and performance.
Date: February 2001
Creator: United States. Federal Transportation Advisory Group.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Protocol amending 1949 Convention of Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission : message from the President of the United States transmitting protocol to amend the 1949 Convention on the Establishment of an Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, done at Guayaquil, June 11, 1999, and signed by the United States, subject to ratification, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on the same date (open access)

Protocol amending 1949 Convention of Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission : message from the President of the United States transmitting protocol to amend the 1949 Convention on the Establishment of an Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, done at Guayaquil, June 11, 1999, and signed by the United States, subject to ratification, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on the same date

This treaty allows organizations that are not governments of states to join the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention, and be subject to its conservation and management protocols.
Date: 2001
Creator: United States. President (1993-2001 : Clinton) & Pickering, Thomas Reeve, 1931-
System: The UNT Digital Library

Joseph Paul Vejvanovsky Sonata 29

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
Joseph Paul Vejvanovsky,(composer ca. 1640-1693) - Play ... Sonata XXIX for Trumpets, Trombone, 2 Violins, Viola, and Bass Continuo ...
Date: 2001
Creator: Vejvanovsky, Joseph Paul & Bauguess, Barry
System: The UNT Digital Library

Joseph Paul Vejvanovsky Sonata à 4 in g Minor

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
Pavel Joseph Vejvanovsky,(composer ca. 1640-1693) - Play ... Sonata à 4 in g Minor for Trumpet, Strings, and Bass Continuo ...
Date: 2001
Creator: Vejvanovsky, Joseph Paul & Bauguess, Barry
System: The UNT Digital Library

Joseph Paul Vejvanovsky Sonata Tribus

Access: Use of this item is restricted to the UNT Community
Pavel Joseph Vejvanovsky,(composer ca. 1640-1693) - Play ... Sonata Tribus for Trumpet, Trombone, Violin, and Bass Continuo ...
Date: 2001
Creator: Vejvanovsky, Joseph Paul & Bauguess, Barry
System: The UNT Digital Library