New
York Times: Results presented at the current
United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Doha,
Qatar, indicate that carbon dioxide emissions are falling,
albeit slowly, in the more advanced countries, including the
US. Although some of the reduction is due to conscious efforts,
other factors, including the weak economy, the transfer of
manufacturing to developing countries, and power stations
switching from burning coal to natural gas, have also
contributed to the decrease. "But the decline of emissions in
the developed countries is more than matched by continued
growth in developing countries like China and India," write
Justin Gillis and John Broder for the
New York Times. Since the beginning of the Industrial
Revolution, the level of CO
2 has increased about 41%, and scientists believe
that number could double or triple in the near future. The
result could include more intense weather events such as
flooding, droughts, and heat waves, which many experts believe
we are already beginning to experience.
