As Phil has pointed out, concentrations of greenhouse gases have grown substantially since the beginning of the industrial revolution, and these concentrations are expected to continue to increase for the foreseeable future. I'd like to talk about the reasons why, the prospects and opportunities for bringing this growth under control, and what this means for the future climate of Washington State.
Climate change is both a challenge and an opportunity.
The challenge is in understanding what changes are likely to happen, when these changes are likely to become significant, and when and how we will have to adapt to them. The opportunity is in being part of the solution. The opportunity is in transforming the largely 19 th century technology that is the source of the problem to a 21 st century energy supply system that is its solution. Increases in the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are the force behind global warming. Carbon dioxide emissions result from burning the fuels that make civilization possible.