ABSTRACT
Scientists warn our daily actions are affecting the climate around the globe – to humanity’s detriment. They warn greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by converting land, raising livestock, and burning fossil fuels might be changing the planet’s climate, and the consequences could be devastating. Their case rests on connecting two trends. The Earth has warmed 0.5 degrees C over the past century; and atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased by 30 per cent over the past two centuries (see Chapter 2). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change perceived enough correlation to conclude humanity is the likely culprit for current and future climate change (IPCC 2001b). As a consequence, many scientists and policy makers continue to advocate for a worldwide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the risks to human and environmental health posed by unprecedented carbon concentrations. In international conferences held over the past five years, nations have tried to flesh out the details of who should, and how to, reduce GHG emissions.
