Satu Hati Satu Rasa Satu Cinta

Evidence for warming of the climate system includes observed increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level.^[25][26][27] The Earth's average surface temperature, expressed as a linear trend, rose by 0.74±0.18 °C over the period 1906–2005. The rate of warming over the last half of that period was almost double that for the period as a whole (0.13±0.03 °C per decade, versus 0.07±0.02 °C per decade). The urban heat island effect is very small, estimated to account for less than 0.002 °C of warming per decade since 1900.^[28] Temperatures in the lower troposphere have increased between 0.13 and 0.22 °C (0.22 and 0.4 °F) per decade since 1979, according to satellite temperature measurements. Climate proxies show the temperature to have been relatively stable over the one or two thousand years before 1850, with regionally varying fluctuations such as the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age.^[29]

Recent estimates by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) and the National Climatic Data Center show that 2005 and 2010 tied for the planet's warmest year since reliable, widespread instrumental measurements became available in the late 19th century, exceeding 1998 by a few hundredths of a degree.^[30][31][32] Current estimates by the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) show 2005 as the second warmest year, behind 1998 with 2003 and 2010 tied for third warmest year, however, “the error estimate for individual years ... is at least ten times larger than the differences between these three years.”^[33] The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) statement on the status of the global climate in 2010 explains that, “The 2010 nominal value of +0.53 °C ranks just ahead of those of 2005 (+0.52 °C) and 1998 (+0.51 °C), although the differences between the three years are not statistically significant...”^[34]

Temperatures in 1998 were unusually warm because the strongest El Niño in the past century occurred during that year.^[35] Global temperature is subject to short-term fluctuations that overlay long term trends and can temporarily mask them. The relative stability in temperature from 2002 to 2009 is consistent with such an episode.^[36][37]

Temperature changes vary over the globe. Since 1979, land temperatures have increased about twice as fast as ocean temperatures (0.25 °C per decade against 0.13 °C per decade).^[38] Ocean temperatures increase more slowly than land temperatures because of the larger effective heat capacity of the oceans and because the ocean loses more heat by evaporation.^[39] The Northern Hemisphere warms faster than the Southern Hemisphere because it has more land and because it has extensive areas of seasonal snow and sea-ice cover subject to ice-albedo feedback. Although more greenhouse gases are emitted in the Northern than Southern Hemisphere this does not contribute to the difference in warming because the major greenhouse gases persist long enough to mix between hemispheres.^[40]

The thermal inertia of the oceans and slow responses of other indirect effects mean that climate can take centuries or longer to adjust to changes in forcing. Climate commitment studies indicate that even if greenhouse gases were stabilized at 2000 levels, a further warming of about 0.5 °C (0.9 °F) would still occur.

What is Global warming?

In the past few years, the world has experienced devastating natural disasters on a level that hasn’t been seen for decades. There is much speculation that these especially strong phenomena are due to global climate change, brought on by Global Warming. The term ‘Global Warming’ refers to the rising temperature of the earth due to an increased amount of greenhouse gases. The scientific community as a whole has determined through all research that global warming is a problem caused by human influence. The burning of fossil fuels emits greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These gases trap the heat from the sun and cause the temperature of our planet to rise. This warming of the globe could potentially alter sea level, crop yield and rain fall, and could increase the intensity and frequency of natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and droughts. For more information on global warming, please visit our research page, our student submission page, or any of the links on the left side of this page. Please also feel free to download our free informational pamphlet and our Global Warming political cartoon.

Is Hawaii in Danger?
Eventually, yes. All small islands and low-lying areas will be jeopardized if Global Warming is allowed to progress. Some of the northern hawaiian atolls have already been submerged by ocean water. Waikiki, Manhattan, and New Orleans are good examples of major cities within the United States that may be at risk of flooding.

What is the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol is not something that our government should have taken lightly. Under its provisions, 37 industrialized nations including Japan and several European countries have all committed themselves to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 33%. We, however – as the leading emitter of greenhouse gases – refused to sign and abide by it, and instead President Bush offered up an alternative plan to deal with Global Warming. He proposed a plan that gives businesses incentives to reduce power plant emissions and greenhouse gas emissions voluntarily. However, this reduction is estimated to be less than 5% over ten years.

Why Didn’t the United States Sign the Kyoto Agreement?
The Bush Administration decided not to sign the Kyoto Protocol for one reason – the economy. President Bush has said on many occasions that the Kyoto Protocol sets unrealistic goals and would hurt the American economy. And so, we’ve become a country that intentionally lowers our expectations to increase our chances of meeting our goals. We’ve become a country that has made it a practice to do what’s profitable, what benefits our economy the most, rather than what’s right for the world. Most of all, we’ve become a country that seems to have more loyalty to ourselves than to the larger whole of which we should be a part – we care more about how we as a country are doing financially than we do about how our world is doing environmentally. We have alienated ourselves in the international environmental community and have become our own separate world. We as Americans are citizens of America (most of us), but we’re more than that – we’re citizens of the world – and we have a responsibility to ourselves, our children, and our planet to clean up our act and do our part to counteract Global Warming.

What is biofuel?
Biofuel is essentially slightly modified used cooking oil. It can be used in any standard diesel engine and can be obtained from many restaurants and establishments for little or no cost. It has virutally no emissions and is safe to use. For more information on biofuel, please click on our “Check Out Biodiesel!” link on the left side of our page.

What is a Carbon Footprint?
The term ‘Carbon Footprint’ refers to the extent of which an individual influences the environment by emitting carbon dioxide and other carbon emissions. It is used as a measure of individual pollution contribution. For more information on carbon footprints and how to calculate and reduce your carbon footprint, please click on our “Carbon Footprint Calculator” and “Carbon Footprint Reduction” links on the left side of our page

Global Warming -- a gradual increase in planet-wide temperatures -- is now well documented and accepted by scientists as fact. A panel convened by the U.S National Research Council, the nation's premier science policy body, in June 2006 voiced a "high level of confidence" that Earth is the hottest it has been in at least 400 years, and possibly even the last 2,000 years. Studies indicate that the average global surface temperature has increased by approximately 0.5-1.0°F (0.3-0.6°C) over the last century. This is the largest increase in surface temperature in the last 1,000 years and scientists are predicting an even greater increase over this century. This warming is largely attributed to the increase of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide and methane) in the Earth's upper atmosphere caused by human burning of fossil fuels, industrial, farming, and deforestation activities.

Average global temperatures may increase by 1.4-5.8ºC (that's 2.5 - 10.4º F) by the end of the 21st century. Although the numbers sound small, they can trigger significant changes in climate. (The difference between global temperatures during an Ice Age and an ice-free period is only about 5ºC.) Besides resulting in more hot days, many scientists believe an increase in temperatures may lead to changes in precipitation and weather patterns. Warmer ocean water may result in more intense and frequent tropical storms and hurricanes. Sea levels are also expected to increase by 0.09 - 0.88 m. in the next century, mainly from melting glaciers and expanding seawater . Global Warming may also affect wildlife and species that cannot survive in warmer environments may become extinct. Finally, human health is also at stake, as global Climate Change may result in the spreading of certain diseases such as malaria, the flooding of major cities, a greater risk of heat stroke for individuals, and poor air quality.

Climate change is very likely having an impact now on our planet and its life, according to the latest installment of a report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). And the future problems caused by rising seas, growing deserts, and more frequent droughts all look set to affect the developing world more than rich countries, they add. The report is the second chapter of the IPCC's Fourth Assessment -- the most comprehensive summary yet of research into the causes and effects of climate change.