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“The balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate.” That carefully crafted sentence, taken from a 1995 study by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, added fuel to a long-raging debate about global warming. Among the thorniest issues is how nations and their citizens should respond to the increased amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth’s atmosphere, which has helped raise the planet’s surface air temperature by a full degree Fahrenheit (half a degree Celsius). The implications of these increases remain an open question. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC set about “Unlocking the Climate Puzzle” in its May 1998 issue. To enhance that millennium story and help you shape an informed opinion, we invite you to explore our climate laboratory—replete with links to some of the best climate resources on the Internet. |
