Global warming and climate change threaten the very existence of mankind; understanding the effects of each and implementing measures to save this planet are of dire urgency. Global warming has become a threat to everything and everyone on Earth. Global warming is caused by many natural and manmade processes that continue to affect our environment. The release of carbon dioxide and methane gases are the two main contributors to climate change. With the warming of the environment almost inevitable now, methane gases are sure to become an even bigger contributor as the planet warms and the ice melts at the poles. It is going to take a global effort, like none ever seen before, to slow down and bring global warming to a much more manageable condition. People must commence to doing their part in reducing their carbon footprint, such as buying more fuel efficient cars, cutting back travel, recycling, reducing energy needs, and making their homes greener.

   But to our surprise despite these issues, climate change still seems to be a controversial

topic. Some people still seem to believe that climate change is just a government made lie aimed at raising funds.This is incorrect as we have data from scientists to prove that it is actually happening.That climate science relies too heavily on models is one of the last arguments that climate change deniers cling to—many of them argue that proving climate change is man made is impossible. But one researcher says he’s basically just done the opposite: he used statistics, actual observed data, and, most importantly, no computer models at all to prove that climate change has not been a natural phenomenon.“There’s a difference between trying to prove a theory is correct and trying to prove something incorrect,” said Shaun Lovejoy, a nonlinear physicist at McGill University. “If we can’t prove the theory, we can reject the hypothesis that all we have is natural variability. I’ve rejected that with a 99.9 percent level of confidence.” Lovejoy says that the computer models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and others are extremely useful, but says that climate skeptics aren't totally off base to raise their doubts, when nearly every paper published on the subject relies on one model or another.

  “The main rational argument held by climate skeptics is that, the global warming hypothesis depends on these giant models—they say, if the evidence is so strong, we shouldn’t need supercomputers to demonstrate it,” he said. “Well, it turns out, we don’t. Without supercomputers, I got quite similar results, and I can use this paleodata to suggest the probabilities [that climate change falls within established natural variation].”To do that, Lovejoy used surface air temperature measures from NASA, NOAA, and and the Climate Research Unit, and the paleodata proxies (at 100­year time intervals, where they are believed to be most accurate) to complete a statistical analysis of whether what we saw happen prior to human pollution matches up at all with what we’ve seen since humans began putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It doesn’t. “Even if you allow for very, very extreme natural fluctuations, the worst you can do is reject the hypothesis [of natural variation] with 99.8 percent certainty,” Lovejoy said. “This study will be a blow to any remaining climate change­deniers ... their two most convincing arguments—that the warming is natural in origin, and that the computer models are wrong—are either directly contradicted by this analysis, or simply do not apply to it.”

   Homes, towns, cities, states, nations, and countries around the world are all addressing the

issue of global climate change. Individuals are beginning to realize the importance of

greenhouse gas emissions and keeping our environment clean. Towns and cities are

implementing new conservation programs, energy saving incentives, and many other

environment­friendly initiatives. On the federal level, the U.S. government under President

Bush, launched a “historic initiative [that] brings together the resources and expertise of thirteen federal agencies.” (2) The Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is aimed at solving some of the major aspects of climate change, such as expanding the knowledge of the climate, advancing climate change science, and improving on existing technology. Countries around the world are cooperating together to improve the climate change situation as well.Governments must act with the utmost importance to implement to regulate the energy uses from their countries more strictly and rigorously. Together we are taking the initiative to improve our surrounding environment.

   The U.S in particular has aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 18% over the next ten years. Climate change research and technology will also increase especially as the president’s 2014 budget reported a $700 million increase in funding for climate change­related programs (1). In addition, the President has issued reforms to “ensure that businesses that register voluntary reductions are not penalized under a future climate policy, and give credit to companies that can show real emissions reductions” (2). The U.S. has also initiated improvements in the transportation industry. There are existing tax incentives in place for buyers of cleaner emissions cars, like the Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid (gas and electric), the Toyota Prius, or other clean­fuel vehicles (3). Clean­fuel vehicles are defined as motor vehicles designed to be propelled by one of the following fuels:

• ­ Natural gas

• ­ Liquified natural gas (LNG)

• ­ Liquified petroleum gas (LPG)

• ­ Hydrogen peroxide c

• ­ Electricity (e.g., some gasoline/electric hybrids)

• ­ Any other fuel that is at least 85% alcohol or ether (e.g., E85) (3).

   On January 9, 2002, U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced a new public­private partnership between the Energy Department and the nation's major automakers to promote the development of hydrogen as a primary fuel for cars and trucks. The Freedom CAR (Cooperative Automotive Research) would allow for hydrogen­powered fuel­cell vehicles that emit no harmful air pollutants, only water if pure hydrogen is used (5). The Freedom CAR project replaces the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) which pushed the development of hybrid gasoline­electric cars. (5). This new research in the area of hydrogen fuel­cells would dramatically change our economy and society as we know it. If we can successfully harness the energy behind the reverse electrolysis (hydrogen and oxygen to form water vapor, heat and electricity), we can expand the use of hydrogen fuel­cells to many other devices and start to phase out the pollution producing energy sources (6). The potential resulting economy will no longer be a crude oil based economy, rather a hydrogen based economy. Similar production facilities will be needed as well as transportation methods to distribute this fuel (4). This will obviously impact our society and economy, and be much more healthy for us and the environment.

    In conclusion, the combined implementation of these programs and incentives both domestically and internationally will bring us closer to our Kyoto Protocol goals set in 1997 (7). The future is still hopeful for our nation and the earth as we continue to “slow the growth of greenhouse gas emissions, and ­­ as the science justifies ­­ to stop, and then reverse that growth” (2). As President Bush said, “The Earth's well­being is also an issue important to America. And it's an issue that should be important to every nation in every part of our world. The issue of climate change respects no border. Its effects cannot be reined in by an army nor advanced by any ideology. Climate change, with its potential to impact every corner of the world, is an issue that must be addressed by the world (8).” Global climate change is something that needs to be addressed, and the sooner the better.Without a stern will to implement change to the current way of life, in the end each will undeniably face that very real change in the future anyways, and likely far worse. Everyone must do their part to protect the future of this planet for those to enjoy in the coming centuries. It is time for every facet of life to stand up and demand a change now before it is too late. If not, the impending catastrophe will overpower the greater part of this planet leaving much of it ruin after having undergone an overall manifestation for the worse.