Changes

'''Global warming''' is a theory accepted within the scientific community, but widely debated outside it. The phrase is usually thought of as encompassing three concepts:

'''Global warming''' is a theory accepted almost (but not entirely) within the scientific community, but widely debated outside it. The phrase is usually thought of as encompassing three concepts:

:1) We are currently in a period of rapid climate change consisting of increasing temperature, which, if it were to continue, would have important socio-economic consequences well within the next century.  

:1) We are currently in a period of rapid climate change consisting of increasing temperature, which, if it were to continue, would have important socio-economic consequences well within the next century.  

:2) The change is caused by increasing CO₂ gasses and a resulting "greenhouse" effect.

:2) The change is caused by increasing CO₂ gasses and a resulting "greenhouse" effect.

:3) This change is the result of human activity, and can and should be reversed by taking large-scale international action to reduce greenhouse emissions.

:3) This change is the result of human activity, and can and should be reversed by taking large-scale international action to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Point #1 has become very widely accepted in the past few decades. Points #2 and #3 are debated in the political community. Both climate change itself, and actions that would be taken to combat it, would have enormous economic effects and identifiable winners and losers, resulting in an intense debate.  

Point #1 has become very widely accepted in the past few decades, even by conservatives who were once skeptical.

Global warming is a controversial theory that claims that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) due to industrialization is causing temperatures to increase around the world, to the detriment of our environment. Al Gore, Vice President under President Clinton from 1992 to 2000, is a high profile advocate of this theory.  Promoters of this theory, including many prominent scientists, call for international treaties, like one proposed in Kyoto, Japan, to limit carbon emissions using a combination of conservation and technological innovation.

Points #2 and #3 are debated in the political community. Both climate change itself, and actions that would be taken to combat it, would have enormous economic effects with identifiable winners and losers, resulting in an intense debate. For example, since the industrialized nations emit most of the CO₂, if it were agreed that these emissions needed to be reduced sharply, the burden would fall much more heavily on these nations than on undeveloped nations.

 

Al Gore, Vice President under President Clinton from 1992 to 2000, is a high profile advocate of the full global warming theory.  Promoters of this theory, including many prominent scientists, call for international treaties, like one proposed in Kyoto, Japan, to limit carbon emissions using a combination of conservation and technological innovation.

The theory is widely accepted within the scientific community despite a lack of any conclusive evidence, though that is not to say there is no evidence at all.<ref>Myths of Global Warming[http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba230.html]</ref><ref>No Evidence for Global Warming[http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed012298b.cfm]</ref> On February 2, 2007, an internatonal panel of hundreds of scientists and representatives of 113 governments issued a report concluding:

The theory is widely accepted within the scientific community despite a lack of any conclusive evidence, though that is not to say there is no evidence at all.<ref>Myths of Global Warming[http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba230.html]</ref><ref>No Evidence for Global Warming[http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed012298b.cfm]</ref> On February 2, 2007, an internatonal panel of hundreds of scientists and representatives of 113 governments issued a report concluding: