Lecture Notes on Global Warming and Climate Change

Introduction and Background

Speakers: Michele Boldrin and Daniele Visioni
Structure: Scientific updates, political actions, European/Italian focus
Topics Covered: Science of Global Warming, Political Measures, Regional Impacts, Scientific Tools, Future Predictions, Policy Recommendations

Language Shift: From 'likely' to 'very likely' regarding average global temperature rise.
Consistency: No doubts about the increase in global temperature and CO2 levels since reports from 2005, 2013, and present.
Peripheral Doubts: Remaining doubts are minimal and fringe.
Detection and Attribution: Focus on identifying the impact of climate change on extreme weather events.

Uncertainty: High variability in regional impacts and extreme events
Heatwaves: Easier to quantify, examples in Canada and Spain, clear increase in frequency and intensity.
Hurricanes: Complicated to measure; mixed evidence on change in frequency and intensity.
Other Phenomena: Stratosphere cooling, ocean warming, regional cooling in stratosphere, monsoon patterns.

Government Policies: Different approaches by different governments; some evidence of increased intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms
European Policies: Focus on efficiency and reducing carbon footprint, various opinions and political actions create challenges
Italian Situations: Specific challenges such as energy source management, building insulation
Policy Limitations: Discussions on the difficulty of implementing nuclear solutions due to political and time constraints.

Issue of Maladaptation: High cost interventions that may not be effective; increased insulation not always the best solution.
Importance of Considering Long Term: Need for long-term strategies, beyond immediate measures.

Weather Models: Effective for short and medium term forecasts.
Climate Models: Effective for long-term energy balance predictions.
Regional Predictions: Understanding global conditions' effects on regional phenomena.

Future Strategies: Focusing on seasonal and beyond predictions for better anticipation of extreme weather events.
Challenges: Difficulty in accurate modeling due to variability and uncertainties in future data.

Policy Impact: Importance of evaluating economic impacts and making efficient use of resources
Global Cooperation Issues: Analysis of non-cooperative games among nations, the effectiveness of investments in developing countries
Energy Investments: Comparison between renewable energy and nuclear power solutions.

Efficiency Measures: Importance of improving energy efficiency in buildings but also recognizing its limits.
Broader Approaches: Consideration of broader and more effective global measures, like investing in energy solutions in developing nations.

Electoral Justifications: Politicians' short-term goals often incompatible with long-term climate strategies
Transitional Effects: Global trade and resource redistribution following climate agreements, influence on national policies.

Public Misunderstanding: Potential misinterpretation and misinformation spread by media
Role of Scientists: Responsibility of scientists in accurate communication and dispelling myths, and the critique of overly simplified public narratives.

Future Engagement: Importance of ongoing scientific discourse, public communication, and reconsideration of policy measures in the face of global warming.

Scientific Consensus: Clear evidence of global warming and climate change, challenges in regional predictions
Policy Challenges: Need for effective and long-term strategies, considering global cooperation and economic implications
Communication: Essential role of scientists in public education and accurate information dissemination.