DALTON —
A University of Georgia Professor of Ecology will talk about the “Effects of Global Climate Change on Georgia” on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Goodroe Auditorium of Memorial Hall.
Dr. James Porter, a past recipient of the Ecological Society of America’s Environmental Educator of the Year Award, will talk about the short-term threats and long-term vulnerabilities of climate change scenarios that will impact Georgia and other southeastern states during this century.
“Although climate change is occurring everywhere, some of the harshest effects will be on southeastern states like Georgia,” Porter says. “Between rising temperatures, declining rainfall, and rising sea-levels, we are in for a bumpy ride.”
Porter, a marine ecologist who specializes in the biology, ecology, and assessment of Floridian and Caribbean coral reefs, says that for every foot that the sea level rises in the low-lying piedmont and coastal planes in Georgia, the ocean creeps into the state by 1,000 feet.
“This makes our low-lying areas exceptionally vulnerable,” he says, noting that these consequences will require “strong and immediate responses.”
“We are not doing a good job of planning for climate change,” Porter insists. “We must, and I emphasize must, do a better job preparing for these inevitabilities. We must enlist all levels of government and all types of businesses to reduce our carbon emissions.
“Like passengers adrift at sea in a lifeboat who are conserving water, we must conserve energy.”
Porter says that we must shift away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy sources, such as bio-fuels from southern switch grass.
“Because Georgia is in the sun-belt, its current temperature, rainfall, and the length of its growing season would allow Georgia to lead in this process,” he says.
Porter, a graduate of Yale University and the author of The Ecology and Etiology of Newly Emergent Marine Diseases, says that emphasizing long-term solutions to issues surrounding global climate change will be more effective than coming up with short-term fixes based on emergency scenarios.
“Although global warming and global climate change issues are huge and complex, and therefore would benefit from serious attention from all nations and the world economy, a real irony is that solutions will also mostly come from individuals. This knowledge is empowering. We do not have to wait for leadership from governments fueled by special interests or businesses reliant on the status quo. We can act now.”
Porter will incorporate an animated Powerpoint slide show and video clips into his lecture to demonstrate graphically what is expected to occur over the next 50 to 100 years with respect to the consequences of climate change in Georgia.
The lecture, which is sponsored by the Fine Arts and Lecture Series and the Office of Student Activities, is free and open to the public. For more information, please call 706-272-4469.
Local News
March 21, 2010
Dalton State College hosts climate change lecture
- Local News
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