WHAT IS GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE?

Due to increasing levels of heat-trapping gases, among which carbon dioxide is most prominent, our planet is warming.  The polar ice caps are melting, glaciers are retreating and disappearing, and weather patterns and ocean currents are destabilizing.  These gradual changes will cause extinction of plant and animal species, erosion and flooding of coastal regions, and unpredictable changes in established global weather systems.  This changing climate also threatens farming through heavy rainfall, droughts, and unpredictable growing seasons and changing migratory patterns.  The scientific evidence is overwhelming and well documented by scientists and commissions all over the world.  We must take immediate steps to reduce our carbon emissions by reducing our electric, gas, and oil consumption.  The future of our planet hangs in the balance.

From the Union of Concerned Scientists website:
”Global warming is already under way.  The evidence is vast and the urgency of taking action becomes clearer with every new scientific study.  Some of the most obvious signs are visible in the Artic, where rising temperatures and melting ice are dramatically changing the region’s unique landscapes and wildlife – as well as people’s lives and livelihoods.  Across the globe, other early warning signs include melting glaciers, shifting ranges of plants and animals, and the earlier onset of spring.

Global warming is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases that are emitted primarily but the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests.  These gases remain in our atmosphere for decades or even centuries.

The profound impact rising temperatures have had in the Artic provides a window into a future we may all experience.  With continued warming, we can expect more extreme heat and drought, rising sea levels, and higher-intensity tropical storms.  At risk are our coastal property and resources, the livability of our cities in summer, and the productivity of our farms, forests, and fisheries. 

We can’t avoid all the consequences of global warming, but committing ourselves to action today can help ensure our children and grandchildren inherit a healthy world full of opportunity.”  Union of Concerned Scientists.  For more information, go to www.ucsusa.org or visit the links to other related websites.