Last Decade Was Hottest Ever
The evidence underpinning arguments about global warming and climate change continues to grow. In a recent report, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) declared that the decade from 2000 to 2009 was the hottest on record. Their evidence supports the idea that global temperatures are continuing to rise:
“The period from 2000 through 2009 has been ‘warmer than the 1990s, which were warmer than the 1980s, and so on,’ Michel Jarraud, the secretary general of the international weather agency, said at a news conference here.”
The WMO report was released as discussions over the science behind climate change became more heated. However, their evidence is backed-up by other research organizations:
“The international assessment on temperatures from 2000 to 2009 largely meshes with an interim analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States, which independently estimates global and regional temperature and other weather trends.”
The reality of climate change is unquestionable. Now it is up to global leaders to select the best path forward. It seems they have their work cut out for them:
“Yet it was the gulf between rich and poor nations, not the science of global warming, that dominated talks here on Tuesday as delegates fretted about different pieces of draft language for a new climate treaty circulating in the halls. A 13-page document that was said to have been drafted by Denmark, the conference’s host country, included language calling for mechanisms opposed by poor countries for delivering aid to them to help deal with the impact of climate change. The proposal includes more oversight by donor nations than the developing nations want.
“Danish officials said in a statement that the document was in no way a draft for a new agreement and that many such papers were circulating as parties informally traded ideas.
“Another document was said to be framed by Brazil, South Africa, India and China. It made no mention of specific commitments on their part and rejected outside auditing of projects to reduce emissions financed by those countries on their own.
“A negotiator for a large bloc of developing countries meanwhile challenged rich countries to make far deeper cuts in emissions than they have proposed so far. The negotiator, Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping of Sudan, said President Obama should be willing to spend far more to limit climate dangers in the world’s most vulnerable regions.”
