Dr. James Hansen with Sky Background Photo. Image via Sweden.se / treehugger.comBy Sarah Walters | News reporter
Published: Sunday, October 17, 2010

James Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, visited the University Saturday to talk about the scientific impacts of climate change on the Earth’s species and the importance of protecting the planet for future generations. Hansen, a Columbia University professor of earth and environmental sciences, used photographs of his grandchildren as a means of portraying the importance of preserving the planet for future generations, and said that the government has been incompetent in handling environmental problems, citing U.S. President Barack Obama’s lack of action during the Gulf oil spill and not urging for alternative energy sources. University students, Eugene citizens and youth from around the Eugene area were in attendance to listen to Hansen talk about global warming and get their own questions answered. So many people were in attendance at the University’s law school that an overflow room was necessary. … Humans’ dependency on fossil fuels is changing the planet’s climate. “The future climate is going to be determined by humans, not by natural causes,” Hansen said. …

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