And the major part of the warming that has been reported this century took place from 1900-1940. Ironically, the release of greenhouse gases was less during this period of the century when compared to the second half. In reality, the rise in temperatures over the recent years has been relatively higher when compared with the increase in greenhouse gases.1
Over the last few years, the issue of global warming has gained widespread media coverage. It has been the subject of many TV debates and now has a central role in the ongoing U.S. presidential elections campaigns. Many TV programs depict polar bears stranded as huge chunks of ice continue to melt into the polar waters. This has even been the subject of advertisement for many cruise lines that lure customers by promising them to enroll on a trip to witness the effects of global warming as it melts down polar ice that has been there for more than two million of years.2
According to a document released by the United Nations' International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), "Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide [generated by fossil fuel consumption], methane and nitrous oxide [due to agriculture] have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years."3 However, the document is also optimistic and states that global warming can be curbed if effective measures are put in place to cut down global carbon emissions. That's because slowing down human activity, which according to the panel is the major cause of climate, can be the first step towards overturning the current situation.
Global warming is a genuinely dynamic problem today's world. The current level of excess concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is as a result pass human activities. In the same light, the fossil fuels we burn today and related activities will affect future generations. That's because carbon gases emitted today will settle in the atmosphere and leave a negative effect on our planet when we are all gone. As a result, we have to take into account the welfare of our grandchildren each time we make a decision that can affect the environment.4 There is need for us to consider alternative sources of energy, and that's because fossil fuels have two major drawbacks. In addition to pollution, fossil fuels have become expensive.5
More recently, the issue of global warming has been gaining grounds even in religious spheres. More and more people of faith are now adopting global warming as one of their religious concerns. "As with concern regarding the nature and reality of the Holy, as with concern about one's relation to divine things, to God, to the sacred, as with concern for what may be one's ultimate purposes in life, global warming puts radically reorienting questions to life. Global warming puts life itself into question--not only our own individual lives, or the lifeline of our species, but all of life and its future possibilities. Global warming evokes the fragility of life and its mysterious contingency and begs caring response on our part."6
Another reason why global warming should attract religious concern is that most religions have some common principles that guide their teaching. These include having concern for the vulnerable as well as appreciation for the majestic works of God. "Global warming, by