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'''Global warming''' is a theory widely (but not universally) 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 widely (but not universally) accepted within the scientific community, but widely debated outside it. The theory can be thought of as having four parts:

: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) The theory that 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 theory that this 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) The theory that this change is caused by human activity, mostly industrial emissions of carbon-based "greenhouse gasses."

:4) This 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, even by conservatives who were once skeptical.

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

Point #2 is more controversial, although widely accepted by scientists. Point #3 is the most controversial, and is what the political and international debate are about. Both climate change itself, and the very large-scale actions that are proposed 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.

Points #2 and point #3 are more controversial, although widely accepted by scientists. Points #3 is the one most attacked by skeptics. Point #4 is what the political and international debate are about. Both climate change itself, and the very large-scale actions that are proposed 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.

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.