Raymond Najjar

Professor of Oceanography, The Pennsylvania State University

Dr. Raymond Najjar is a Professor of Oceanography with the Departments of Meteorology and Geosciences at The Pennsylvania State University. Najjar has worked on numerous regional climate impact assessments, including one that was part of the first National Climate Assessment. He has received funding for his research from the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and Pennsylvania Sea Grant.

Najjar believes humans are massively and rapidly transforming the climate. The overwhelming majority of the impacts are negative and will get worse. For example, coral reefs, one of the most important and wondrous ecosystems on Earth, are poised for permanent demise as a result of overheating and acidification. If we do not act quickly and aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, we will be leaving a planet to our children and grandchildren that is a shadow of its former self. While our knowledge of the climate system is not perfect (and never will be), we know enough to act. Fossil fuels have served society very well but they have outlived their usefulness. Much safer forms of energy from the wind and sun should be deployed on a massive scale to save the planet from catastrophe.