Wise Words

"If we don't get a serious program in place for the long term in this post-Kyoto phase, we will simply not make it. We will be crossing limits which will basically produce impacts that are unacceptable. Such is the nature of global warming that the problem is always further along than it seems. The kinds of changes that are now becoming evident--the rise in sea levels, the thawing of permafrost, the acidification of the oceans, the acceleration of ice streams--mean that much larger changes are rapidly approaching. To continue to delay is not to put off catastrophe but, rather, to rush toward it."
Michael Oppenheimer, climate scientist, Princeton University

Stern Warning to Humanity Against Inaction

Global warming is destroying species, raising sea levels and threatening millions of poor people, the United Nations' top scientific panel will say today in a report that U.N. officials hope will help mobilize the world into taking tougher actions on climate change. The report argues that only firm action, including putting a price on carbon dioxide emissions, will avoid more catastrophic events. Those actions will take a small part of the world's economic growth but will be substantially less than the costs of doing nothing, the report will say. Full article from The Washington Post…

The science is sound

The world's foremost climate scientists tell us that the earth is warming, that it is due to human activities, and that we have at most ten years to avoid disaster.

Joint Science Academies Report

The national science academies of the G8+5 nations (including the US, UK, Canada, and others) have issued a declaration stating:
There will always be uncertainty in understanding a system as complex as the world's climate. However there is now strong evidence that significant global warming is occurring…
It is likely that most of the warming in recent decades can be attributed to human activities. This warming has already led to changes in the Earth's climate…
The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify nations taking prompt action. It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions…
… (a) lack of full scientific certainty about some aspects of climate change is not a reason for delaying an immediate response that will, at a reasonable cost, prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

2007 Reports on Global Warming Released

April - The second of four reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said we can expect more big floods, droughts, wildfires, species extinctions, and mass migrations. "It's the poorest of the poor in the world, and this includes poor people even in prosperous societies, who are going to be the worst hit," said IPCC Chair Rajendra Pachauri.

May - The third report said that humans need to make sweeping cuts in greenhouse gas emissions over the next 50 years to keep global warming in check, but it need only cost a tiny fraction of world economic output. For more info…

The costs of inaction

Will it cost our economy to take action on global warming? Not as much as it will cost to NOT take action! Here are the stats…

2006 - The warmest year on record

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that 2006 was the warmest year on record in the United States. "No one should be surprised that 2006 is the hottest year on record for the U.S.," said Dr. Brenda Ekwurzel, a climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists. "When you look at temperatures across the globe, every single year since 1993 has fallen in the top 20 warmest years on record. Heat-trapping global warming gases remain in the atmosphere for decades or centuries," said Dr. Ekwurzel. "Realistically, we have to start fighting global warming in the next 10 years if we want to secure a safe environment for our children and grandchildren."
~ From the Union of Concerned Scientists

Global Warming:

Of special interest to New York are these reports from the Union of Concerned Scientists:

Climate Choices
Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast - Oct 2006

Reports of science academies

Understanding and Responding to Climate Change: Highlights of National Academies of Sciences Reports. The National Academies of Sciences have been the advisors to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine since they were created by Pres. Lincoln in 1863.
Joint Science Academies Statement - Global Response to Climate Change May 05

Information from environmental organizations

Clean air and energy:

Monitor carbon

CARMA (Carbon Monitoring for Action) shows the highest CO2 emitting power plants in the world. Zoom in on any area.

Greenhouse gases
hit record high

The steady rise in atmospheric levels of the greenhouse gases blamed for climate change shows no signs of abating...
(BBC News, Nov 2006)

Confused by skeptical arguments?

It's not hard to find people who are saying global warming isn't happening, isn't caused by humans etc. etc. etc. You need look no farther than a quick search of websites, on radio or TV programs - or even your friends, neighbors, or relatives. These opinions are rarely supported by sound science. The Royal Society has published a new guide of easy-to-understand explanations the most common global warming myths.

The Skeptical Environmentalist / State of Fear

The Union of Concerned Scientists examines The Skeptical Environmentalist by Bjørn Lomborg and State of Fear by Michael Crichton.

Here's another handy summary of the issues climate skeptics bring up and science-based responses.

NASA's James Hansen

NASA’s James Hansen on the state of the science on climate change, why we need to take immediate action, what we should do about coal. Transcript of Hansen Testimony...