ABSTRACT

The threat of human-induced climate change, popularly known as global warming, presents a difficult challenge to society over the coming decades. The production of so-called greenhouse gases (GHGs) as a result of human activity, mainly the burning of fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, and natural gas), is expected to lead to a gen­ eralized warming of the Earth’s surface, rising sea levels, and changes in precipita­ tion patterns. The potential impacts of these changes are many and varied-more frequent and intense heat waves, changes in the frequency of droughts and floods, increased coastal flooding, and more-damaging storm surges-all with attendant consequences for human health, agriculture, economic activity, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning.