New Global Warming Report Expected This Week
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)—the UN-sponsored organization that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore—is hard at work this week in Valencia, Spain, drafting a concise 25-page summary of its fourth and final report this year on the state of global warming and what can be done to lessen its damaging effects.
To set the tone for the meeting, Yvo de Boer, head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, challenged policymakers and government leaders worldwide to develop a workable plan to curb global warming.
Photo courtesy of NASA
"Climate change will hit hardest the poorest and most vulnerable countries. Its overall effect, however, will be felt by everyone and will in some cases threaten people's very survival," he said. "Failing to recognize the urgency of this message and acting on it would be nothing less than criminally irresponsible."
The IPCC reports are intended to provide the world’s governments with both a warning about the effects of global warming and a guide to help mitigate them. The first three IPCC reports this year confirmed that:
- human activity “very likely” has been a primary cause of global warming since 1950;
- many potentially disastrous effects of global warming are already under way; and
- our ability to control greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and avoid the most serious effects of global warming is cost-effective and within reach.
Don’t be fooled by political rhetoric. The time for debate is over, the time for action is now. Governments around the world must take a leadership role and become part of the solution.
"There are ways to deal with the problem," de Boer said. "Addressing climate change is affordable, and concerted action now can avoid some of the most catastrophic projections. What is needed is the political will for enhanced multilateral action."
Meanwhile, learn how you can help in the effort to reduce global warming every day by reading Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming.
Also Read:
- All About Global Warming
- What is the Greenhouse Effect?
- Should the United States Ratify the Kyoto Protocol?
- U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement
- U.S. Climate Action Partnership: A Coalition for Change
- How is Wildlife Affected by Global Warming?
- Global Warming Linked to Increase in U.S. Forest Fires
- Global Warming Leads to 150,000 Deaths Every Year
- Scholars Predict 50 Million Environmental Refugees by 2010
- Is Global Warming a Hoax?
Comments
Well if George Bush would use common sense and stop blaming China and just tell China if you want to be in the USA market you will follow the UN environmental guide lines. Cause he just uses it for an excuse not to sign the UN green house gas guide lines.
There are so many simple ways that people can help!
“Leave the car at home if possible. Ride a bike or walk to your destinations. Reducing your dependence on fossil fuels also reduces air pollutants that are increasing the problem of global warming.
Reuse or recycle your paper products. When you have papers which are blank on the back, reuse them for notes, coloring sheets, bird cage lining, shopping lists, etc.
Be a conscientious shopper. Buy products with as little wrapping as possible or with recyclable wrapping. Buy products made from recycled materials.
Keep your cats and dogs indoors or on a leash. Cats are responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of birds each year. Dogs are responsible for countless deer and other mammal injuries each year. It is not their fault, they are following their hunting instincts. Their human partners have to be responsible enough to keep them indoors or restrained at all times to prevent these unnecessary wildlife casualties.
Turn your thermostat down in the winter and up in the summer. Heating and cooling often requires fossil fuels which contribute to air pollution and global warming. You should also insulate and caulk around windows and doors. This will also reduce your heating and cooling costs.
Turn off the lights when you aren’t in a room. Buy compact flourescents to replace those energy hungry filament bulbs common in most homes. Reduce your electrical needs to reduce your fossil fuel dependence.
Don’t waste water. Clean drinkable water is becoming more scarce. Sweep your driveway instead of hosing it off. Put a brick in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water needed per flush.
Don’t use chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides on your lawn or garden. The runoff from these toxic chemicals can enter streams, ponds, or our drinking water. Pesticides don’t just kill bad insects, it also kills beneficial insects and wildlife, and creates health problems for humans. For more information about pesticides and herbicides, contact the American Cancer Society and ask for their ‘Drug Free Lawn’ pamphlet”