Virginia Swain interviews Gary Gardner, World Watch Institute Director of Research. Gary spoke about the Earth's atmosphere now warming at the fastest rate in recorded history, a trend that is projected to cause extensive damage to forests, marine ecosystems, and agriculture. Human communities are also threatened by climate change as seas rise, storms become more intense, and episodes of drought and flooding increase. The scientific evidence is now compelling that recent climate change is caused at least in part by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, which has driven atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to their highest levels in 420,000 years. Worldwatch publications have increased public understanding of the risks of climate change and provided guidance on effective policies to reduce dependence on the fossil fuels that cause it.
Posted March 30th 2009 9:00pm.