We are not big on “end of the world as we know it” scenarios. We accept that Climate Change is a major issue and try not to focus on “what will happen,” discussions.  However, here’s a cool (or warm?) website you should check out if you  want to see a more graphic depiction of what we could be in for, according to the UN Statistics Division Demographic Yearbook 2007: http://www.actoncopenhagen.decc.gov.uk/content/en/embeds/flash/4-degrees-large-map-final  The site shows how a 4° Celsius (7° Fahrenheit) increase could impact the earth. It lets you choose your issue: forest fire, crops, water availability, sea level, marine, drought, permafrost, tropical cyclones, and extreme temperatures. This is a clear way to see what could happen.

Our Science Partner, Jamie Lloyd made a great presentation at Emory this week that covered the “hows” and “whys” of Climate Change. The issue is clear to any reasonable climate scientist. Jamie presented a graph that shows the temperatures and CO2 levels in the atmosphere for the last 647,000 years. It shows that we are now at 385 parts per million (PPM) of CO2, and rising, while spending 647,000 years between 170 and 300 PPM of CO2. The chart shows the temperature and CO2 rise caused by the industrial revolution and the wholesale burning of fossil fuels.

Yet… the latest Pew Research shows a decline of in Americans who believe that there is solid evidence that Global Temperatures are rising. I hate being about fear and scaring into action – its just that I am afraid.