Steps to decrease global warming's effects

Hansen Offers Options for Addressing Global Warming

Speaking at the American University in Washington, D.C. on Monday, renowned U.S. climate scientist James Hansen offered a series of recommendations to stave off the most dangerous effects of climate change. The “worst-case” consequences of global warming, including disintegration of the Earth’s polar ice sheets and the extinction of many animal and plant species, could be avoided by taking five key steps to limit the increase in global temperature to less than 1 degree Celsius, Hansen said.
Hansen’s suggestions included scientific, economic, and political approaches to fighting global warming, among them placing a moratorium on all new coal-fired power plants until technologies for carbon capture and sequestration are further developed, likely within the next 5–10 years.
Hansen’s second suggestion was to implement a gradually increasing carbon tax that could be used to fund investments in clean technology.
A third step—increased energy efficiency—is the most imperative and easiest challenge for both Congress and the public to take on, Hansen noted.
As a fourth measure, Hansen said the U.S. National Academy of Sciences should assemble the best scientists to execute a study on the stability of ice sheets, a serious issue that remains under-researched.
Finally, Hansen noted the important role the U.S. public can play in helping to “address threats to American democracy.” People have a right to know the truth about climate change, he said, and effective campaign finance reform is needed for this end. “As long as politicians are getting support from special interests, then special interests are going to have special privileges,” he observed.

These steps along with simple steps we can each take in our home and office (like CFLes, sweaters, conservation, etc.) only makes sense and can decrease the negatives. There can be some hope.