Introduction to Global Warming

 

Introduction to Global Warming

 

Global Warming is perhaps the most significant environmental problem facing the world today. Greenhouse gas levels are increasing in the atmosphere because of human activities, and are changing the composition of the atmosphere and warming the earth. Climate scientists agree that human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels contribute to the problem.

Scientists have predicted the phenomemon of global warming for decades. Unfortunately, some of the adverse impacts (link to impacts page) from global warming that they also predicted are starting to occur around the world, including:

• Increasing incidence of droughts in some areas, flooding in others;
• Rising ocean temperatures and sea levels;
• Increased severe weather events such as tornadoes and hurricanes;
• Melting of glaciers and reduction in mountain snow cover;
• Dying coral reefs; and
• Coastal erosion, and the loss of coastal ecosystems.

While a handful of skeptics continue to debate the science, the world's scientists agree: the science is in. Global warming is happening.

What the scientists say:

The international Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body of over 2,000 climate scientists, has produced three scientific assessments on climate change, and in each, has concluded that global warming is occurring, and is linked to human activities. Their latest report (January 2001) stated that: "There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities."

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) concluded in June, 2001 that: "Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures to rise. Temperatures, are, in fact, rising." And, it added: "national policy decisions made now and in the longer-term future will influence the extent of any damage suffered by vulnerable human populations and ecosystems later in this century."

 

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issued an unprecedented alert in July, 2003 warning that "Extreme Weather Events Might Increase" around the world. The alert linked a record number of extreme weather events such as tornadoes and heat waves in 2003 to global warming. The alert stated: "Record extremes in weather and climate events continue to occur around the world. Recent scientific assessments indicate that, as the global temperatures continue to warm due to climate change, the number and intensity of extreme events might increase." Here in the United States, some individual states are taking action. Private industry is also responding to the challenge.

 

What is the U.S. doing about global warming?

The Bush Administration, unfortunately, has turned its back on the problem. Soon after taking office in 2001, President Bush reneged on a campaign promise to regulate carbon emissions from power plants (a major source of global warming pollution). The Climate Change Plan announced by President Bush in February of 2002, calls for an 18 percent reduction of greenhouse gas "intensity" by 2012, which translates into a 14 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions in that period. As pointed out by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) in an October, 2003 report, however, this "plan" represents virtually 'business as usual.' The report states: "While U.S. greenhouse gas emissions have increased significantly, the Energy Information Administration reports that U.S. emissions intensity has generally been falling steadily for 50 years." The Bush Climate Change Plan allows greenhouse gas emissions to continue increasing while the long-standing decrease in emissions intensity is also continued.

Fortunately, the United States Congress is starting to demand action in light of the continued stonewalling of the Bush administration. In the first-ever U.S. Senate vote on a policy to mandate U.S. greenhouse gas emissions reductions, held in October of 2003, 43 members of the Senate voted in favor of the measure, with 55 members voting in opposition. The bills sponsors, Senator John McCain of Arizona and Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut have vowed to push for another vote on the bill, the Climate Stewardship Act, in 2004, and believe they may even gain enough votes for the measure to pass the Senate.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.environet.org/warming/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climate change: scientists have bleak news for the poles

 

 

 

AFP/File | Jorge Vinueza

 

 

2Ԡ03 '05

Close-up of a melting glacier. The effects of global warming are already apparent, unexpected problems are looming and there are no "magic bullets" for tackling the peril, a top forum of climate scientists warned.

EXETER, England (AFP) — The effects of global warming are already apparent, unexpected problems are looming and there are no "magic bullets" for tackling the peril, a top forum of climate scientists warned.

 

In a dark assessment to policymakers, experts said that the latest evidence confirmed and amplified cautious warnings made four years ago by the UN's paramount scientific panel on climate change.

 

"In many cases, the risks are more serious than previously thought... (and) a number of new impacts were identified that are potentially ......

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/AFP/2005/02/03/718084

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Panel Delays Emissions Vote Again

Tue Mar 1, 5:43 PM ET       WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, again delayed a panel vote on a Bush administration plan to cut utility air pollution on Tuesday after four panel members asked for more data. After abruptly delaying a vote on Feb. 16 because of a deadlocked panel, Inhofe postponed a vote planned on Wednesday on a version of the Bush administration's "Clear Skies" plan. Inhofe moved the vote to March 3. Four panel members seen as possible swing votes asked the Bush administration and Inhofe for more data on how the plan compares with competing legislation and current law. "It is imperative that we have the most up-to-date information available in order to effectively negotiate a bipartisan compromise," said a letter to Inhofe signed by Democrats Max Baucus of Montana, Tom Carper of Delaware and Barack Obama of Illinois and Republican Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. Lawmakers met with Inhofe late on Tuesday and "realized they were closer than they thought on many issues" but needed more time, an Inhofe spokesman said. Inhofe says time is running short to advance the plan, which would cut three major pollutants spewed by coal-burning power plants by 2016 through a cap-and-trade system. A delayed panel vote could dampen the bill's prospects for passage this year. Inhofe says he faces a March 15 deadline to get the legislation passed by his panel because of a consent decree the Bush administration signed with the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group challenging the rules. "The point at which we couldn't move further in the committee is March 15," Inhofe's spokesman said. Panel Democrats and Chafee oppose the bill because it lacks a limit on carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas linked to climate warming. They also say the legislation's targeted emission cuts are too weak and give utilities too much time to install expensive pollution-reduction equipment. Inhofe has modified his bill in a bid to lure votes moving up the deadline by two years and offering $650 million for utilities to voluntarily install equipment to reduce carbon emissions.             http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&e=12&u=/nm/congress_emissions_dc               Ice Is Melting Everywhere by Danielle Murray | 2Ԡ25 '05 NAIROBI, Kenya (ENS) — --> Ice is melting everywhere - and at an accelerating rate. Rising global temperatures are lengthening melting seasons, thawing frozen ground, and thinning ice caps and glaciers that in some cases have existed for millennia. These changes are raising sea level faster than earlier projected by scientists, and threatening both human and wildlife populations. Since the industrial revolution, human activity has released ever-increasing amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases into the atmosphere, leading to gradual but unmistakable changes in climate throughout the world - especially at the higher latitudes.   Average surface ......         http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/EnvironmentNewsService/2005/02/25/737277                 Global warming: "Tragedy of the Commons" revisited 2Ԡ12 '05 PARIS, (AFP) — Way back in 1968, US ecologist Garrett Hardin sketched the dilemma that today besets the Kyoto Protocol, the UN's global warming pact which takes effect on Wednesday.   In a landmark essay, "The Tragedy of the Commons," Hardin evoked the case of common land where everyone has the right to graze their cattle.   Even if the land becomes overgrazed, people will continue to put their animals on the damaged fields and even add to their herd, said Hardin.   The reasoning: Individuals ......

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/AFP/2005/02/12/725267

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/akyotoqa.asp

 

http://svrweb01.unfccc.int/press/news_room/items/2768txt.php?topic=all