Oceanography | December 2019
The ocean influences weather and climate by storing solar radiation
and distributing heat and moisture around the globe.
Talking to Local Communities
About Climate Change
As science issues become increasingly important in political and pol-
icy debates, it is more important than ever before for scientists to com-
municate effectively outside the literal and figurative walls of our own
communities. In October, I got my opportunity to do just that when I
gave a presentation on climate change to attorneys at a Maryland law
firm as part of their “continuing legal education” series. Although I’m
not a climate scientist, when the invitation arrived I wasn’t deterred
from accepting. I was confident the Internet contained enough
information—in particular, simple explanatory graphics—for me to
construct an informative talk.
I wasn’t disappointed. There was no perfect one-click download,
but US federal and state agencies post a gargantuan amount of infor-
mation about the causes and consequences of climate change on their
websites. Much of the information is aimed directly at educating the
public, and much of it is really quite good. The great challenge was to
cull the trove of information into a 45-minute talk. I began by cov-
ering the workings of the global climate system, and then added a
Maryland twist about how global trends translate into problems
facing local communities, especially those located along the Atlantic
Ocean and in nearby low-lying areas. Not surprisingly, land use and
community association lawyers whose clients (or the clients’ insurers)
worry about future flooding, erosion, and storm intensity were among
those most engaged by the presentation, but everyone in the room
knew someone whose property is threatened by sea level rise.
Based on my experience, I suggest that our community consider
offering a simple and well-designed set of slides and talking points
about climate change that can be downloaded from The Oceanography
Society website. The presentation would enable any informed per-
son to give a talk on climate change to a small, local group without
expending a huge amount of effort. The overarching slide set would
provide the big picture of how the global climate system works, with
a focus on the ocean’s role in it, along with some of the large-scale
consequences of global warming. We could perhaps develop add-on
slides aimed at specific audiences such as lawyers, real estate develop-
ers, or local businesses, or designed to address specific regional issues
such as sea level rise or fisheries.
We all know that climate change touches almost every corner of
our physical and economic environments, but it was gratifying to see
how other professions are anxious to be educated so that they can give
the best possible advice about how to adapt, adjust, and cope.
Ellen S. Kappel, Editor
Global Climate Change
What Can We Expect for Maryland?
Water rescues along the Clara Barton Parkway,
July 2019. Photo credit: Pete Piringer, Montgomery
County Fire & Rescue Service
Sea Level is Rising
Credit: NOAA
Credit: https://climatechange.maryland.gov/science/
Saltwater Intrusion
As sea levels rise, more
agricultural fields will be
inundated with saltwater on
Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Photo Credit: Severn Smith (TNC)
Warm ocean
waters provide
the energy to fuel
storm systems.
Image Credit: NASA’s Earth Observatory/
LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team
Projections of future
climate over the
United States suggest
that the recent trend
toward increased
heavy precipitation
events will continue.
The map shows percent increases in the
amount of precipitation falling in very heavy
events from 1958 to 2012.
»
Source: globalchange.gov
Projections of future
climate over the
United States suggest
that the recent trend
toward increased
heavy precipitation
events will continue.
The map shows percent increases in the
amount of precipitation falling in very heavy
events from 1958 to 2012.
»
Source: globalchange.gov
FROM THE PRESIDENT