Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s climate. There is great debate among many people, and sometimes in the news, on whether global warming is real. However, climate scientists looking at the data and facts agree the planet is warming. While many view the effects of global warming to be more substantial and more rapidly occurring than others do, the scientific consensus on climatic changes related to global warming is that the average temperature of the Earth has risen between 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the past 100 years. Carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants are collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, due to the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities, which in turn traps the sun's heat and causes the planet to warm up. These factors are believed to be the primary sources of the global warming that has occurred over the past 50 years. Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate carrying out global warming research have recently predicted that average global temperatures could increase between 1.4 and 5.8 °C by the year 2100. Changes resulting from global warming may include rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps, as well as an increase in occurrence and severity of storms and other severe weather events. Climate change is changing our economy, health and communities in diverse ways. Scientists warn that if we do not aggressively curb climate change now, the results will likely be disastrous.Climate change is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each year scientists learn more about how climate change is affecting the planet and our communities, and most agree that certain consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue. In addition to impacting our water resources, energy supply, transportation, agriculture, and ecosystems, the United States Global Change Research Program concludes that climate change also poses unique challenges to human health. For instance, there may be significant increases in the risk of illness and death related to extreme heat and heat waves are very likely as well as diseases transmitted by food, water, and insects are likely to increase. These impacts will result in significant costs to our families and the economy. However, technologies exist today to make cars that run cleaner and burn less gas, modernize power plants and generate electricity from non pollutant sources, and cut our electricity use through energy efficiency. The challenge is to be sure these solutions are put to use.
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