Nature, Economics and human well

2006 – Nature, Economics and human well being become more entwined in climate issues

The vulnerability of regions in the southern hemisphere is studied closely
Most of the European continent and specifically Spain is once again seeing record breaking temperatures for summer. The traditional holiday in Spain is circumvented by 113° F weather as predictions are made for an overall rise of another 7° during this century. Information is released that Spain’s greenhouse emissions rose by 50% between the years of 1990 and 2004.
Studies show that tropical areas in both the Andes and South Africa are open to massive extinction of plant and animal life as normal evolutionary migration is unable to keep pace with tropical change.
Marine life in the Pacific Ocean is directly impacted by higher levels of acidity created during the ocean’s absorption of carbon dioxide.
Serious financial implications of climate change are brought to the forefront
The state of California releases its own plans for roll back of greenhouse emissions levels to 1990’s levels.
World Bank economist Sir Nicholas Stern predicts global warming could cost as much as 20% of the gross domestic product of the entire world if left unchecked.
“An Inconvenient Truth” brings climate issues to mainstream movie goers
Former United States Vice President Al Gore raises global warming awareness to unprecedented levels with release of his documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth”. The film which does surprisingly well in theaters in America and worldwide graphically displays both causes and effects of global warming leading to climate change. Al Gore seizes upon the film’s popularity to create from the global warming cause a huge political agenda. While the film effectively attempts to reflect all sides of the global warming issue with facts, figures and photojournalism, it more effectively draws attention to Gore.