Since Hurricane Katrina, there has been an increasing concern that a changing climate will bring about more frequent and more intense extreme weather events. This concern has motivated scientists to investigate the connection between global warming and extreme events such as hurricanes. In this lecture, Dr. Greg Holland of the National Center for Atmospheric Research discusses the scientific evidence that suggests a connection between global warming and hurricanes and comments on the political ramifications of this connection.

Climate change is only one of the forces that fall under the umbrella of "global change." Disruptions to ecosystems brought about by warming and other variables affect biodiversity and bring about significant change to the global environment. In this public talk, Dr. Camille Parmesan, research fellow at the University of California Santa Barbara, reveals the correlation between climate change and shrinking biodiversity and highlights examples of how specific species are impacted by a changing climate. In her conclusion, Parmesan stresses the fact that species will be unable to adapt to climate change in the short-term, and she suggests that only by curtailing the long-term warming trend of the planet will we be able to preserve current species and ecosystems.

Temperature observations during the 20th century reveal a warming trend unlike any other in many millennia. As one of the preeminent scientists looking for an explanation of this phenomena, Princeton University professor V. Ramaswamy provides an overview of existing climate models and explains in an accessible manner how various natural and anthropogenic variables potentially bring about climate change. Through his summary of available research, Ramaswamy argues that human-induced variables, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, appear to be primarily responsible for the warming trend of the 20th century.

Given Colorado's reliance on precipitation for agriculture and recreation industries, understanding natural variations as well as human-driven changes in climate patterns is a critical issue. Dr. Roger A. Pielke Sr. is the State of Colorado's Head Climatologist, and in this lecture he draws on his vast understanding of Colorado's climate to show past climate trends and comment on what the future climate may look like for Colorado residents. Pielke focuses in particular on the problem of drought explains how both natural processes and human behavior impact forecasts of future droughts. In his conclusion, Pielke suggests that in the absence of clear predictive capacity, we should assess future vulnerabilities, which in Colorado may include, flash floods, avalanches, insect infestations, and drought

In an effort to assess the threat of climate change to food supply, scientists have spent much energy investigating the complex interactions of climate change and agricultural production. These efforts have led to models that reveal that climate change will bring about both beneficial and detrimental effects on future agricultural output. In this lecture, Penn State geography professor William Easterling explains the evolution of scientific understanding on this topic and focuses on the areas where improvements to existing models can made. In in his conclusion, Easterling states that while current models indicate that agriculture can weather the effects of climate change, many uncertainties remain that could dramatically alter current forecasts.

How do we get states to comply with international agreements that are themselves not very well specified, in a system that have no sanctions or other coercive instruments to bring to bear? In this lecture, Harvard government professor Abram Chayes, discusses the problem of compliance with respect to international agreements and suggests that international cooperation can occur without harsh coercive measures.

About 20 stations have been established along the coastline of Antarctica, but only two are maintained year-round on the interior plateau: the Russian station at Vostok and the U.S. station at South Pole. In this entertaining and informative slideshow, Antarctic researcher Stephen Warren vividly illustrates the logistics of living at the South Pole. In addition, Dr. Warren discusses the results of the scientific research that brought him to the coldest place on Earth.

We are now in an unprecedented age where humans have become a force of global importance and where local human behavior has significant global impacts. In light of this new world order, Dr. Richard Rockwell of the University of Michigan addresses the issue of identifying and mitigating the negative impacts of human activity on the environment. These impacts, which Dr. Rockwell describes as large and growing, are and will continue to affect every individual, regardless of whether they directly contribute to the impacts or not.

Dr. Richard Somerville speaks on how a sustainable future depends on scientific research, a global energy policy, and the political will that humanity applies to deal with the major issues of our times, including the goal of a stable world population.

Dr. Kenneth Strzepek of the University of Colorado provides an introduction to the "Greenhouse Effect" and its effects on the global water cycle. The talk focuses on the impacts of climate change on regional and local water supply and demand in the Colorado River Basin, which includes the Roaring Fork Valley. The lecture also includes a look at the impacts of climate change on society.