1월 19일 (월) THE CLIMATE CRISIS

THE CLIMATE CRISIS Industrial pollutants are blamed for global warming The global warming was chosen as the world’s most import!ant issue of year 2006, by the World Economic Forum. Last month, a diverse group of U.S.-based businesses and leading environmental organizations called on the federal government to quickly enact strong national legislation to achieve significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. The group said any delay in action to control emissions increases the risk of unavoidable consequences in the future. The earth is actually getting hotter. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. Experts think the trend is accelerating, because the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Many climate experts say that without big curbs in greenhouse gas emissions, the 21st century could see temperatures rise 3 to 8 degrees Higher temperatures threaten dangerous consequences and global warming's effects have already begun. Melting glaciers, early snowmelt and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages. Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the seaboard, such as the Gulf of Mexico. Warmer sea surface temperatures will fuel more intense hurricanes. Forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases. Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction. Almost all experts studying the recent climate history of the earth agree now that human activities, mainly the release of heat-trapping gases from smokestacks, tailpipes, and burning forests, are probably the dominant force driving the trend. The gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) add to the planet's natural greenhouse effect, allowing sunlight in, but preventing some of the resulting heat from radiating back to space. The most heat-trapping gases come from power plants and vehicles. Therefore we definitely need to reduce pollution from vehicles and power plants. Right away, the governments should put existing technologies for building cleaner cars and more modern electricity generators into widespread use. Industries can increase their reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind, sun and geothermal. They can also manufacture more efficient appliances and conserve energy. The Kyoto Protocol came into force The Kyoto Protocol which is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) came into force, right after Russia ratified the treaty in November 2004. Countries that ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and   five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases.  More than 160 countries globally and over 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions are now covered by the protocol. However, the world's top polluter has not signed up to the treaty. The United States is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases with one of the highest levels of emissions per capita Though Americans make up just 4% of the world's population, they produce 25% of the carbon dioxide pollution from fossil-fuel burning, by far the largest share of any country. In fact, the US emits more carbon dioxide than China, India and Japan combined. Clearly US ought to take a leadership role in solving the problem. But the president Bush has said that the US will not ratify the Kyoto Protocol, because the changes would be too costly to introduce and that the agreement is flawed. With your help, we can fight the global warming There are many simple steps you can take right now to cut global warming pollution. Make conserving energy a part of your daily routine. Each time you choose a compact fluorescent light bulb over an incandescent bulb, for example, you'll lower your energy bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air over the bulb's lifetime. By opting for a refrigerator with the Energy Star label over a less energy-efficient model, you can reduce carbon dioxide pollution by nearly a ton in total. Raised Questions 1.     Did you see “The Inconvenient Truth”? What did you learn or felt from the movie? 2.     Can you name the stuff, we use in everyday life, that emit greenhouse gases? 3.     Do we need new laws requiring industry to cut emissions of global warming pollution? 4.     How can we make the US to ratify the Kyoto Protocol? 5.     What can we do to help fight global warming?