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Discusses the importance of communicating the urgency and challenge of global climate change. Trend for Americans to be preoccupied with many issues other than climate change; Findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change regarding the potential impacts and emissions reductions needed in order to avoid drastic consequences; Consideration of how many scientists have issued publicized warnings to alert the public of the need for action; Hurdles encountered by the U.S. public in a national dialogue on climate change; Impact of the release of emissions of heat-trapping gases and subsequent impacts on the climate; Ways to increase the persuasiveness of the climate change message without appealing to fear. INSETS: FLIPPING THE "SWITCH ON ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE";UNDERMING URGENCY: DEALING MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH ALARMISTS.

Discusses how Europe will launch an updated emissions trading program for greenhouse gases in 2005 which is much larger and more complex than the U.S. effort. Role of market-based policies in environmental regulation and in the formation of future European and international climate change policies; Consideration of the plans for the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to address global climate change implement a more consistent trading program among nations; Innovations regarding provisions that provide flexibility in monitoring and compliance; Difficulty associated with the preparation and review of National Allocation Plans; Use of auctions in the distribution of tradable emissions allowances in the U.S. INSETS: EUROPEAN UNION TERMINOLOGY;KEY FEATURES OF EU ETS;EFFECTIVE EMISSIONS TRADING PROGRAMS: A VIEW FROM THE ECONOMICS;SUMMARY OF U.S. TRADING PROGRAMS

Presents a report on the Climate Policy reports at the Aspen Institute's Climate Change Policy Dialogue which occurred during November 2003. How the report was commissioned by the Pew Center and was issued to participants in May 2003 under the title Designing a Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reduction Program; Introduction of the report by Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Center on Global Change; Controversies surrounding the Kyoto mechanisms and emissions trading practices; Focus of the report on a U.S. unilateral mandatory scheme to be launched outside the Kyoto Protocol; Efficiency of U.S. action on climate change.

Discusses several articles on the impact of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the December 2004 issue of Environment. Consideration of how levels of carbon dioxide have risen to 375 parts per million in the last 50 years; Articles on the efforts of humans to stabilize the atmosphere with emission cuts of 50 to 80 percent; Accessibility and cost of fossil fuels as an environmental challenge; Reference to articles by Robert Socolow, Roberta Hotinski, and Stephen Pacala; Need for the government to instill a greater sense of urgency regarding climate change; Limitations associated with using fear and guilt as motivations for actions.