Groundbreaking Talks on Climate Change

The Colburn Earth Science Museum is excited to be partnering with the local chapter of the American Meteorological Society to present a series of three free informative talks to the public about the past, present and future of climate change.

“Asheville has one of the world’s highest concentrations of atmospheric and environmental scientists,” said Lt. Col. Paul A. Roelle, president of the Asheville chapter of the American Meteorological Society. “Naturally, there is a huge interest and knowledge base here,” Roelle said. “Last year, the Asheville Chapter of the American Meteorological Society decided to capitalize on this knowledge base to spread the word on this critical environmental issue. The chapter hosted a series of talks in 2007 which was so well received that this year we decided to team with the Colburn to build on that momentum.”

All three talks will begin at 7 p.m., and all will be held at the Diana Wortham Theatre in Pack Place in downtown Asheville. No registration is necessary for these free events; mark your calendars now! Call the Museum at 254-7162 for more information.

“The Myth of the 1970s Global Cooling Scientific Consensus: The Evolution of Integrated Climate Change Science” will be presented Tuesday, January 15 by Thomas C. Peterson, Ph.D. of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville. Dr. Peterson has been in the news recently as he was lead author of the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“The State of Our Climate: An Overview of the Latest Research Findings and Projections of Climate Change” will be presented Tuesday, February 12 by Anne Waple, Ph.D. of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center.

“What Does Climate Change Mean for the Future?: Challenges to Our Water Systems and Infrastructures” will be presented Tuesday, April 15. This talk will be a panel discussion by leading experts who are focused on environmental issues surrounding climate change. A reception hosted by the Colburn will follow this final talk.