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What is global warming?

Simply put, global warming is the phenomenon in which temperatures are seen to be slowly rising worldwide as evidenced by weather records kept over the last century.

Today, many scientists believe that the industrial world has been the primary cause of rising temperatures. To support these claims, they point to the burning of oil, gas and other carbon-based fuels as the reason why atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide have increased.

These levels of carbon dioxide have, in turn, threatened an increase in the magnitude of the greenhouse effect whereby the surface of the earth will inevitably become hotter.

Today, the U.S. is almost alone among industrialized nations (excepting Australia) in its refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocal that calls for for a universal reduction in carbon emissions.

Reflecting the U.S. government position, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has adopted the phrase 'climate change' rather than 'global warming' to summon into the debate possible natural causes for the earth's rise in temperature.

On the Web, learn more about global warming with a look into investigations, theories and hotly contested debates on the science and politics of this century's most controversial issue, with more on the history of global warming and what it may mean for our future ...

Global Warming - Extensive overview from Wikipedia outlining recent scientific research as well as the controversy surrounding global warming, its possible causes, effects on ecosytems and glaciers, related costs & financial consequences and relationship to ozone depletion, including charts & illustrations, related references, and links to more information.

IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - The official site of the Nobel prize-winning United Nations report with findings and warnings, recommendations on global action, graphics & presentations, glossary of terms, related resources.

Global Warming Program | Union of Concerned Scientists - Advocating policy to help stem the threat of global warming by reducing greenhouse effect gases into the atmosphere, with reports on evidence of how it effects hurricanes, recent heat waves and other climate changes plus practical solutions for solving the global warming dilemma now, and ways visitors can help.

Global Warming and the politics of fear - Good cache of related articles & essays examining scientific evidence and taking an opposing view toward arguments for man-made causes of global warming.

Still Waiting for Greenhouse - Debating the scientific evidence with opposing views on causal interpretations of sea level and ocean temperature, polar ice cap measurements and other disputed data.

Medieval Warm Period - Historical overview with evidence that global warming, followed by "The Little Ice Age", occurred naturally during the Middle Ages.

NCDC - Global Warming - Clear, straightforward FAQ on the topic covering questions about rises in temperature, ocean level changes, increases in greenhouse gases, plus links to related information and statistical data.

Global Warming Pictures - Including photos of polar thaw, melting glaciers, its effects on oceans and coastlines plus an extensive list of links & resources on the topic, references & background informaton.

What's up with the weather? - PBS multimedia presentation based on the television special outlining the global warming debate, how evidence points to the burning of fossil fuels as a primary cause and what government and science can do about it, with related video clips, graphs and illustrations, FAQ, teacher's guide.

Global Warming Student Speakout - Top 50 Ideas - Results of program inviting teachers and students to brainstorm ideas for combating global warming, sponsored by Google for Educators.

Global Warm - One-stop browsing for global warming news headlines, pictures and related feature stories from major news organizations worldwide.

also see in Science -> Weather | Hurricanes | Volcanoes

also see in Holidays & Observances -> Earth Day | Earth Hour