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 generalized warming of the Earth’s surface, rising sea levels, and changes in precipitation 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.
