Global warming threatens to increase the earth's near surface average air temperature and raise the ocean tides. Downstream effects of such changes will include changes in extreme weather, agricultural yields, glacier decline, trade routes, species extinctions and possilbe desease spread.
It is generally presumed that the earth's average lower atmosphere air temperature rose 1.33 ± 0.32 °F (0.74 ± 0.18 °C) during the 100 year period from 1906 through 2005 (source: The Physical Science Basis). Climate model forecasts suggest that near surface global air temperature will rise an additional 2.0 to 11.5 °F (1.1 6.4 °C) by the year 2100. Further, even if greenhouse gas levels become stabalized, increases in air temperature and sea levels are expected to continue for more than a thousand years as the delay in reaching equilibrium is in large part due the massive heat stored in the oceans.
It is generally agreed that the most significant contributing source to global warming over this period is greenhouse effect - the process whereby emmission of radiation into the atmosphere causes increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and warms the planet's surface.
Greenhouse gases are produced by both natural sources (such as volcanic eruption) and manmade activities (such as the burning of fosil fuels). It's interesting to note that without greenhouse gases the earth would be unnhabitable and that other planets such as Mars and Venus also retain greenhouse gas effects. Greenhouse gases made up of water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
Al Gore is the chief proponent of global warming. Many believe Gore is an alarmest speaking largely on a technical basis of which he is not qualified and may be prematurely jumping to conclusions which he cannot support and in fact are not supportable. Further, skeptics points to the mainstream media's sensationalism of this topic for their self interests. However, global warming is real and action must begin immediately.
The (First) Solution
The United States is being pressured to sign the Kyoto Protocol in large part by countries who are not friendly to US interests and by American's who promote the 'Blame America First' manta for most of the world's problems. Caving in to pressure from countries who are not true US allies is incredably naive and short sighted. Further, U.S. participation is the Kyoto Protocol will serve to harm the American economy - and in particular jobs - while not providing any noticeable or beneficial impact without the similar participation from China and India. To make a noticealbe impact on this global problem requires global participation. The U.S. should inject bargaining power to only sign the Kyoto Protocol if and when China and India both agree to also sign.
More Solutions Coming
Much more analysis underway. A premise backed with supportable data should be available in about one quarter. Thereafter, a more detailed plan and recommendation can be developed to deal with this real issue.
Educate yourself on this topic; you may want to reference the links below for more information.
Contribute to this site's recommendation content; Use the Contribute page to send any suggestions which build upon or better articulate the issue, the analysis or the recommendation.
Spread the word; consider adding the below button and link to your web site to increase awareness and solicit increased support.
Petition your elected officials; visit Congress.org to identify your federal and state legislators and their mail and email addresses.
Align your interest with your voting strategy; Check back to this page as it will be updated with the candidates who are supporting and opposing educational reform.
Web Site Links