2012 AAAS Symposium - “Toward Stabilization of Net Global Carbon Dioxide Levels”
Sponsored by the four USNCs for the Earth Sciences and spearheaded by the U.S. National Committees for Soils and for Geodesy and Geophysics, this session provided a clear understanding and comparison of the attributes of the various sequestration strategies, including their capacity, economics, risks, application time-scales, and long-term stability. The symposium was held February 17, 2012 at the AAAS meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Speakers included:
- Isabel Montanez (University of California): Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide and Climate Sensitivity in a Warmer World
- Sally Benson (Stanford University): Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Deep Sedimentary Formations
- Peter Brewer (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute): Impacts of Stabilizing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Levels: The Role of the Oceans
- Keith Paustian (Colorado State University): Carbon Sequestration and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Agriculture: Living Up to Potential?
- Karen Haugen-Kozyra (KHK Consulting Ltd.): Carbon Pricing Policies in North America: Past, Present, and Future
- Ben Yamagata (Coal Utilization Research Council): Managing Carbon Dioxide Emissions Today: An Industry Perspective
Organizer: Paul M. Bertsch, University of Kentucky
Co-Organizer: Ester Sztein, The National Academies
Discussants: James E. Hansen, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Cesar Izaurralde, Joint Global Change Research Institute
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2012 AAAS Symposium - “Causes and Effects of Relative Sea-Level Changes in the Northeast Pacific"
This session, spearheaded by the U.S. National Committee for Geodesy and Geophysics, first reviewed the various contributing factors to relative sea-level changes in the Northeast Pacific and then examined likely adaptations with an emphasis on shores in British Columbia. The symposium was held February 19, 2012 at the AAAS meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Speakers included:
- John J. Clague (Simon Fraser University): Impacts of Rising Seas on the British Columbia Coast in the 21st Century
- Denise J. Reed (University of New Orleans): Surviving Sea-Level Rise: What Can Be Done To Maintain Viable Coastal Wetlands?
- David Flanders (University of British Columbia): Flood Adaptation Near Vancouver: A Regional Adaptation Collaborative
Organizer: Brian F. Atwater, U.S. Geological Survey
Co-organizers: C.K. Shum, Ohio State University and Ester Sztein, The National Academies
Moderator: Brian F. Atwater, U.S. Geological Survey
Discussants: Margaret Davidson, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center
More details and press coverage...
Support of the International Year of Planet Earth
The International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) is a multidisciplinary, international project initiated by the IUGS in cooperation with UNESCO and partnership of the other international geoscience unions, as well as about 100 signatory countries, 74 active IYPE national committees, and many other related organizations throughout the world. IYPE’s principal goal is to demonstrate the enormous potential of the Earth sciences as foundations for a safer, healthier and wealthier society.
Learn more about IYPE activities in the United States
The U.S. National Committee for IYPE received grant support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for an IYPE partnership with the National Public Radio (NPR) program EarthSky to produce ten 90-second IYPE-themed radio podcasts. 
EarthSky is a digital media company advocating science as a vital voice in 21st century decision-making. Discover EarthSky science podcasts for the Web community.
Farouk El-Baz, chair of the USNC/GS, is also an active member of the USNC/IYPE, a separate committee headed by Jack Hess, from the Geological Society of America. The earth sciences USNCs sponsored the IYPE-themed symposium "Planet Earth: Lessons Ignored, Lessons Learned” at the February 2008 AAAS Meeting.
Participation in IUGS General Assemblies and International Geological Congresses
IUGS, in collaboration with the National IUGS Committees in the five Nordic countries of Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden, hosted the 33rd International Geological Congress (IGC) in Oslo, Norway in August 6-14, 2008. The 2008 Congress theme was “Earth System Science: Foundation for Sustainable Development.” The U.S. delegation to the IUGS General Assembly was composed by Farouk El-Baz (Chair), Richard Calnan, Jonathan Fink, Priscilla Grew, Grant Heiken, Suzette Kimball, Pat Leahy, and Eldridge Moores. The IGC is designed to create a forum for the broad debate of the most significant advances in the geological sciences, to foster new ideas and models for implementing a close interplay between pure science and its applications, and to promote discussion of the Congress theme.
The next IGC will take place from August 2-10, 2012, in Brisbane, Australia. The website for the meeting is http://www.34igc.org/.
Exploring the Relationship between Geology and Health
The International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) has recently been established as an independent organization, but had its origins as the IUGS commission on medical geology. The USNC/GS remains interested in exploring the relationship between geology and health and may potentially serve to help strengthen links between the geological health and psychological sciences.
