The burning of fossil fuels and deforestation are accelerating the emission of these gases at an alarming rate that threaten the climate, environment, and quality of life we enjoy today. The ten hottest years on record have all occurred since 1983 with 1998 the hottest of all.
Hotter temperatures increase demand on air conditioning and energy use.
El Nino and La Nina weather patterns are traceable to global warming. Scientists at the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predict that global temperatures could rise between 2 and 6 degrees Fahrenheit in the 100 years, resulting a rise of one to three feet in global sea level by 2100. Such a sea-level rise will inundate developed and natural areas, accelerate coastal erosion, cause salinity contamination of groundwater aquifers and rivers, damage port facilities, erode recreational beaches, and disrupt wetlands and natural habitats. Loss of this organism has effects up the food chain, depleting populations of fish and seabirds that feed on zooplankton and other organisms down the food chain.