December 9, 1982

David McMurrey, Chairman
Coastal Real-Estate Developers
400 Baywater Blvd.
Corpus Christi, Texas
Dear Mr. McMurrey:
As agreed in our September 21 contract, we are submitting the attached report entitled The Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide.
This report examines the problem of CO2 accumulation in the earth's atmosphere. The climatic changes caused by excessive CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, and the implications of these changes, will be discussed. Also discussed are the mechanisms of the greenhouse effect, the sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and some possible remedies to the problem.
I hope you find this report satisfactory.

Sincerely yours,

William R. Waters, President

Environmental Research Associates, Inc.
1212 Trace Dr., Suite 3
Austin, Texas 78741

WRW:mb
Enclosures

Report on THE EFFECTS OF INCREASED ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE

Submitted to Mr. David McMurrey, Chairman
Coastal Real-Estate Developers Association
Corpus Christi, Texas

by

Environmental Research Associates, Inc.
December 9, 1982

The report examines the effects of increased CO2 concentrations in the earth's atmosphere. The shifting of local weather patterns, the mechanisms of the greenhouse effect, and the sources and sinks of CO2 are also discussed. A list of possible remedies to the problem concludes the report.

TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 II. NATURAL WEATHER PATTERNS . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 III. MECHANISMS OF THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT . . . . . . . . 5 Natural Greenhouse Effect . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Radiation Absorption by Carbon Dioxide and Water Vapor . . 6 Positive Feedback Mechanisms . . . . . . . . . . 7 IV. CARBON CYCLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 CO2 From Fossil Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Carbon Dioxide Produced by Different Fuels . . . . . . 10 Future Levels of Carbon Dioxide . . . . . . . . . 11 V. CLIMATIC EFFECTS OF INCREASED CO2 CONCENTRATIONS . . . . 13 Changes in Local Weather Patterns . . . . . . . . . 13 1930s as Climate Analog . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Drought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Increased Tropical Storm Activity . . . . . . . . . 14 Sea Level Increase . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 VI. WAYS TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE EFFECT . . . . . . . . . 16 VII. SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Information Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure Page 1. Combined Effect of the 180-Year Cycle and Increased CO2 Concentrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2. Growth Rate of Fuel Use: Two Different Models . . . . . 11 LIST OF TABLES