I. Background Information Name(s): Dr,…

                               I. Background Information

Name(s): Dr, Madhav Khandekar
Organization(s): Retired Meteorologist, formerly with Environment Canada (over 50
years in weather & climate science)
Mailing Address(es): 52 Montrose Crescent Markham ON Canada L3R 7Z5
Phone(s): 905-940-0105
E-mail(s): mkhandekar@rogers.com
Area of Expertise: Meteorology, Climatology, Climate Extremes

Bias Towards Negative Effects While Ignoring Benefits Of Slight Warming And
Increased Co2

This comment relates to the fact that most all references to benefits in the CCSP were to
be the result of proposed mitigation or adaption or alternative energy solutions. The only
global warming benefits discussed were from decreasing extreme cold (pages 8 and 78)
and a longer growing season in Alaska (page 144). There was a mention of undefined
short term benefits of warming (on page 4).

THE BENEFITS OF GLOBAL WARMING (GW) MUST BE ARTICULATED

1. GW benefits specifically to humans: more livable winter season, especially for high-
latitude countries ( Canada , Russia , Siberia ) especially for seniors in terms of less stress
due to extreme cold, more mobility outside of enclosed homes and buildings, this
providing direct health benefits. Economic benefits: less house/building heating costs,
less hazardous transportation (snow covered roads, icy roads etc) and also less cost of
transportation, compared to extreme hot climate driving and transportation. This is why
so many seniors travel to warmer climes in the coldest months.
2. Human health in general: extreme cold climate is definitely more hazardous to human
health than extreme hot climate; relatively greater health problems for people living in
extreme cold climates versus those living in extreme hot climates (I can use my personal
experience here, having lived in extreme cold climate of Edmonton Alberta for 4 years
temp -25 to -45C sometimes for weeks, versus extreme hot climate of Qatar Arabian
Gulf, temp +30 to +45C for four to five months of the year, where I spent over 2 years as
a United Nations Expert). Besides my personal experience, health statistics will amply
demonstrate fewer health problems in hot developed countries of Middle East versus
those in Siberia and extreme north Canadian and European subarctic regions. The claim
 that warming increases morbidity rates is a myth. This isn't the case, according to Dr.
Robert Mendelsohn, an environmental economist from Yale University . Mendelsohn
argues that heat-stress deaths are caused by temperature variability and not warming.
Those deaths grow in number not as climates warm but as the variability in climate
increases.

Indur Glokany in Death and Death Rates Due to Extreme Weather Events, in 2007
showed deaths from all extremes for 1979-2002. It showed death from extreme cold
continues to exceed death from extreme heat.
Furthermore he has shown globally death and death rates due to extreme weather have
declined in the last century (referenced sources listed in the document).




3. GW benefits on agriculture, forestry etc are well documented. On forestry and
especially on tropical forests I provide two references here A. Lewis et al " Fingerprinting
the impact on global change on tropical forests" & Phillips et al 2004 "Patterns &
processes in Amazon tree turnover 1976-2001", both these references from 'Proc Royal
Soc London series B V 359 2004 pp.381-462. Benefits to agriculture and grain yields; I
think these benefits are well documented as well, improved grain & food (fruits,
vegetables etc) growing in a warmer climate vs in colder climates (warmer climate
benefits stem from two factors, a slightly warmer mean temp does NOT harm grain
yields as long as there is enough moisture supply, rains have increased due to a warmer
world in general). CO2 is not a pollutant but a plant fertilizer.
In fact the average crop, according to Dr. John Reilly et al., of the MIT Joint Program on
the Science and Policy of Global Change, is 30 percent higher in a CO2 enhanced world
by 2050 where ozone is not an issue. This is not just a matter of opinion, but a well-
established phenomenon. The combination of minor rises in temperatures and increased
CO2 has benefited plant growth and the more vigorous growth results in modification of
the local climate with a positive feedback through the hydrological cycle. Furthermore,
CO2 enriched plants are more drought resistant.

CORRECTIONS

Elaboration of the benefits of global warming and continued carbon dioxide rises must be
added to provide balance on this issue. The benefits are more than just short term and not
all related to mitigation and adaptation. Further, when carefully evaluated,
warmer(hotter) climate has fewer adverse impacts than a cold (very cold) climate. It must
be noted that more than 60% of world's humanity lives in a 'hot' climate where mean
temperature ranges from +25C to +35C almost year round (with only marginal increase
in mean temperature in the last 25 years) and most of these people, living especially in
south Asia, have made significant gains in human health and in growing more food (
grains & vegetables/fruits etc).

Dr M L Khandekar
Markham Ontario L3R 7Z5
CANADA