The Increasing Pace of Climate Change and Its Impacts

Speaker: Michael MacCracken, Chief Scientist, Climate Institute

Human activities, primarily the combustion of coal, oil and natural gas, are increasing the atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping gases. These changes in atmospheric composition have initiated global climate change. Sharply limiting national and global emissions over the next several decades will be required to stop the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. The goal is to prevent global warming from causing catastrophic consequences such as a rise in sea level of a few feet this century, and tens of feet over coming centuries.

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