The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded, "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is largely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic(caused by human activities) greenhouse gas concentrations" via the greenhouse effect. The latest IPCC report says that as early as 2020, between 75 million and 250 million people in Africa will suffer from water shortages, main Asian urban centers will be at risk for flooding, and many species will disappear from Europe.
The European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica determined that there is more carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere currently than at any time during the last 650,000 years. This refutes the skeptics of Global Warming, who say temperature and carbon dioxide levels are cyclical; the real reason for what is happening.
Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing, and the Arctic may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040 or earlier. Polar bears and other native species are already suffering from the loss of sea ice.
We can expect significant changes in normal weather patterns. With these effects of Climate Change are the conditions that affect agriculture; including temperature, floods and draught, glacial melting, and ecology of the planet. These conditions determine the capacity of the planet to produce enough food for the ever increasing human population, as well as domesticated animals. Rising carbon dioxide levels will also have effects on crop yields(positive and negative, depending on location). We must be vigilant in our assessment of the impacts on agriculture in order to anticipate and adapt farming to maximize our agricultural production.
Overpopulation, combined with our dependence on fossil fuels, can only lead to catastrophe. We have to ask ourselves what the consequences are of having a large family in relation to the rest of the world and question yourself whether you are contributing to Overpopulation. We must get serious about encouraging limits on family size along with changing to renewable energy sources on a massive scale.
There are some people who say Global Warming is invented by the Media. The response to that can be done by asking yourself two questions: Who would benefit from spreading this message? Who are the people that have benefited while pollution is, and has been, thrown into our environment?
The causes and effects of Global Warming are real. What we decide to do about it is up to everyone of us. The first, and most important, course of action we can take is to make a major shift to renewable energy sources. Wind power, solar energy, ocean energy, and geothermal power are energy sources we have to utilize on a major scale if we are to succeed in stopping this man-made climate change. The ecology of our planet is at stake. This is not something you would like to reminisce about and say: "If only we did something".
