FACTS:
- 1998 was the warmest year on record globally.
- 1999 was the second warmest year on record
for both the U.S. and U. K.
- The earth warmed 1 degree Fahrenheit
between 1900 and 2000.
- The earth is projected to get 2 to 6 degrees F.
warmer by 2100.
- Ocean levels rose 4 to 10 inches
between 1900 and 2000.
- Ocean levels will rise 18 to 36 inches
higher by 2100.
"There's no question that greenhouse gasses are there, that they are going to increase and even if we started action now, it takes a long time for them to come out. They have a residence time of about 300 years in the atmosphere, so it's going to take a long time. We really have to do two things. One is we're going to have to learn to live with the world that has a different climate than it has today. And we're going to have to learn how to be more energy efficient."
- James Baker, Ph.D., Administrator, NOAA,
January 7, 2000
January 9, 2000 Washington, D. C. - Three massive storms with high winds swept across England and Europe in December knocking down 300 million trees in France alone. Scientists told the American Geophysical Union that the polar wind pattern has changed and "could be responsible for fiercer winter storms across western Europe and western North America."
