PAIC Climate Task Force: Attribution of Observed Climate Change

Causes of warming and increased greenhouse gas concentrations

The AIChE PAIC’s Climate Change Policy Review Project team is kicking off its fourth discussion: attribution of anthropogenic climate change, i.e., if the climate is changing, then does the Endangerment Finding do a good job explaining why, or not? The previous three discussions have resulted in thoughtful and quite helpful input from members regarding the policy review project’s specific discussion topics. These specific topics were, of course, pulled directly from the Endangerment Finding, which is the EPA climate change regulatory action PAIC is attempting to review with AIChE’s member input. 

As AIChE members may know, while the Endangerment Finding was proposed on April 14, 2009, published as a final rule on December 15, 2009, and has survived multiple levels of judicial review through the Supreme Court’s 2014 decision, UARG v. EPA, statements by the Trump Administration suggest that EPA Administrator Pruitt may challenge the Endangerment Finding with a “red team” “blue team” approach. Thus, the PAIC’s Climate Change Policy Review Project, to gather AIChE member input on the specific determinations in the Endangerment Finding, is at least timely and relevant, even if posting to the PAIC-specific Engage community requires a bit of homework on the part of our participants.

Discussion continues in PAIC-specific community

AIChE’s Public Affairs and Information Committee (PAIC) remains pleased with the functionality of the new PAIC-specific “opt-in” community and will continue to use this form due to the continued level of interest and participation in its climate change discussions. To participate in these discussions, any AIChE member can join the community. Community members must abide by Engage Code of Conduct and some special rules laid out by PAIC. PAIC has determined that, while the special rules seem intimidating, they are actually quite simple to follow and require merely specific focus on the narrow scope of each sequential discussion, as well as reliable authority for citation purposes. Note that because all posts are being moderated by PAIC Climate Task Force Ambassadors, your post may not be visible to the community immediately. We thank you in advance for your contributions. 

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See an introduction to the project and the rules for participating at AIChE’s initial ChEnected Post 

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Topic description

This fourth topic concerns the causes of warming and increased greenhouse gas concentrations referred to as “attribution of observed climate change.” This topic covers the degree of anthropogenic climate influence, future projections of greenhouse gas emissions and concentrations, and implications for radiative forcing effects, solar irradiance, the existence of the greenhouse gas effect and past global warming episodes.

Background reading and resources

The first place to go for background information is the former EPA Endangerment Finding home website preserved here

At this link, you will find “attribution” discussed at the following locations linked at “Resources and Tools” on the menu bar along the right side of the website (click on the links and search for “attribution”):

Please follow the rules when posting and include your authoritative sources!   

Discussion timeline

This discussion will run from November 7 through November 21. Please share your thoughtful reply before the deadline.

Engage discussion posting rules

Also remember the rules for posting in the initial welcome blog post. This topic will be open for two weeks. The next discussion will focus on Attribution of Observed Climate Change, with input sought regarding whether the observed climate change indications are attributable to anthropogenic sources.

Opt in to the community | See the rules | Join the discussion