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Dr. Alan Robock is a Professor II of climatology in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University. He holds a doctorate in meteorology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society, and is President-Elect of the Atmospheric Sciences Section of the American Geophysical Union.
What kind of research are you focusing on right now?
All my work is related to climate change. I am studying the effects of volcanic eruptions on climate, soil moisture variations, effects of nuclear war on climate and regional atmosphere/hydrology modeling. I conduct both observational studies and computer modeling. I study how climate is changing, how humans are changing the climate, and how this climate change affects us.
What do you think are the worst environmental impacts to New Jersey if we don’t curb global warming emissions?
We need to do much more analysis of local impacts, but certainly sea level rise will affect us. In addition, we are concerned about stronger storms, both thunderstorms and hurricanes, water resources, more flooding and species loss. There may also be health and agricultural impacts. Large climate changes will produce global political instability, and thus climate change is an important national security issue.
What can New Jersey’s elected officials do to help solve global warming?
New Jersey is part of a Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and we also have a standard requiring 20 percent of the energy used in New Jersey to come from clean, renewable sources, with incentives for solar and wind energy. New Jersey needs a higher gas tax, but we also need a commitment to require better fuel efficiency for cars and trucks; increased energy efficiency in buildings, appliances, and lighting; and investments in more public transportation and in new technologies for production of biofuel, solar, and wind energy.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of?
I’ve done a lot of work on nuclear winter, how smoke from fires generated by nuclear bombs would change the climate. Our collaboration between Soviet and American scientists showed the world that use of nuclear weapons would produce climate changes and starvation far in excess of the direct effects of the weapons. Soon thereafter, the Cold War and the nuclear arms race ended, and the number of nuclear weapons in the world started a rapid decline.
I am now once again doing research in this area, using modern climate models to look at the climatic effects of regional nuclear conflicts. The current nuclear arsenal and regional proliferation continue to be an environmental threat and grave human danger.
What advice do you have for individual New Jerseyans to reduce our impact on the environment?
Use energy wisely and efficiently in your personal life, in your transportation, heating and lighting decisions. And vote for public officials who will lead this country and the world on a path to minimize human disruption of the environment, with immediate conservation, efficiency, and technology initiatives.
Vote for leaders who will set an example for the world and provide economic opportunities for us by developing technologies the world will demand. We need people in charge who will think of the next generation, not the next election.
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