KEYNOTE: USING MARKETS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS -- Richard Sandor, chair and chief executive officer of Environmental Financial Products, LLC, will give the keynote address on "Market-Based Solutions to Climate Change." Sandor's expertise is market-based environmental protection programs. He says emissions trading, with emissions limits, will reduce emissions and lower costs to society. He will examine benefits and challenges of emerging international emissions markets, and offer recommendations for encouraging equitable trading practices in emissions markets.

HOW CHANGING LAND USE CHANGES CLIMATE -- Roger Pielke, professor of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, will speak on the role of land use in influencing weather and climate -- an over-looked issue in climate change. Changes in land use (introduction of irrigation, for example) have already had a major role in altering the climate of the country and the world. The importance of this area has only recently been documented.

CLIMATE CHANGE: THE STATE OF THE SCIENCE -- Michael MacCracken, executive director of the National Assessment Coordination Office of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, will speak on "Global Warming: The Increasing Effects of Human Activities on Climate." Potential consequences exist for human health, agricultural production, forests, water resources, coastal regions and marine resources. These and other issues are examined in an ongoing national assessment of climate change.

A CALL FOR COMMON SENSE -- Terry Francl, an economist and commodities specialist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, will speak on the topic, "It's Time for Some Common Sense about Global Warming." Many scientists are suggesting that no convincing scientific evidence exists to support the notion that significant human-induced global warming is occurring. There is a need to focus on research rather than political dogma.

CAN BIOMASS REDUCE GASES? -- Robert Brown, director of the Center for Coal and the Environment at Iowa State University, will speak on the potential in Iowa for using biomass-generated energy to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. He will examine how biomass can be converted into chemical and energy products.

SCIENCE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS PROBLEM -- John Clarke of Battelle, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will speak on the science and technology strategies needed to mitigate climate change and reduce the cost of stabilizing the atmosphere. Current energy research and development programs are not sufficient for managing carbon. Managing climate risk will require a science and technology portfolio that will enable economically and environmentally acceptable means to manage the risk of climate change.

NATIONAL EVALUATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE -- The National Assessment of the Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change for the United States is an ongoing process to analyze what is known about the potential consequences of climate variability and change, and assess risks and opportunities for the country. Michael MacCracken of the U.S. Global Change Research Program will outline the program.

OTHER SPEAKERS INCLUDE . . .

o Richard Adams, professor of agricultural and resource economics, Oregon State University. He is a member of several government committees dealing with climate change and other environmental issues.

o Bruce Babcock, director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University. He led the development of the Resource and Agricultural Policy System, a model that assesses trends in crop and livestock production and how they may affect the environment.

o Tom Barton, director of the Institute for Physical Research and Technology and the Ames Laboratory, which seek solutions to energy-related problems through physics, chemistry, engineering, applied mathematics and materials sciences.

o Floyd Barwig, director of the Iowa Energy Center, has worked in the energy field for 20 years, including with the U.S. Department of Energy and the New York State Energy Office.

o Ed Beaman, president and chief executive officer of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa.

o Emmit George, a member of the Iowa Utilities Board and a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.

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