Some experts are warning that wars might be fought over water supplies. But the United States is importing a record amount of oil, and some industry experts are saying that supplies won't meet the growing demand. Advanced recovery technology, they note , will allow more oil to be extracted from existing fields. Gaspin' for breath Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere produced by burning fossil fuels are causing global warming . Earth's average temperature is predicted to rise by several degrees over the next half-century or so, raising sea levels and increasing fires, floods and storms.
Some scientists think they're already seeing evidence of the long-predicted global warming.
Futile fishing More than half of ocean fisheries are fully exploited or overexploited, mainly due to overfishing, and some of the richest fishing grounds in the Atlantic are partly or fully closed. As their preferred prey perish, big, sophisticated ships are switching to less-desirable species. With fish prices rising and subsistence fishers having a harder time feeding their families, the future of marine fishing looks pretty grim.