
This week, several interesting reports on global warming came to light. First, scientists at the Carnegie Institution released the first large-scale study of what the economic impact of global warming has been over the past 20 years. They measured annual yields of the six largest crops worldwide—those that account for 55 percent of non-meat calories consumed by humans and 70 percent of total animal feed—and found, unsurprisingly, that increasingly warmer temperatures led to lower crop yields. What is surprising is that the production numbers amounted to a net economic loss of $5 billion a year.
This revelation comes in the wake of reports showing that this has been the warmest winter on record for the Northern Hemisphere and that the thinning ice at the arctic poles may be on the verge of a tipping point that would trigger change in climates thousands of miles away (warmer winters in the U.S., for instance, as fewer arctic cold fronts roll through).
Yet in some ways, these reports couldn’t come at a better time. Though we’re more aware of the effects of our actions than ever before, Americans are still convinced that the results of global warming are far from imminent (according to a Gallup poll from last month: “A majority worries about climate changes, but thinks problems are a decade or more away”). Meanwhile, those who deny that there is any such problem, who insist that what the Earth is currently undergoing is part of a natural cycle, still have a prominent presence in the U.S. Studies like these go far in reminding us that global warming has tangible effects, that this is very much an issue of the present, and that our actions have consequences.
Still skeptical? Check back soon for our newest feature, “The Green Smackdown,” in which two PopSci editors go head to head to see who can live the greener lifestyle. Between catfights, they’ll teach you things you can do to lessen your overall carbon footprint. And we promise, it won’t hurt. —Abby Seiff

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What about the places where the Ice is actually thicker than before. What happen to the cry 30 years ago about a looming ICE AGE that was coming. Now it is global warming but give it ten years and it will be back to We are going to freeze to death. What about the Sun...Are we more powerful than the SUN??? Increase sunspot activitl can cause global Warming. Why are people so arrogant to think that the earth has survived for millions of years, yet we have the power to destroy it. Do we kill all the cows??? From what I hear they contribute more to global warming than cars!! Lets have a real scientifict debate about this...the Media is so onesided on this issue(like alot of things)
What about the places where the Ice is actually thicker than before. What happen to the cry 30 years ago about a looming ICE AGE that was coming. Now it is global warming but give it ten years and it will be back to We are going to freeze to death. What about the Sun...Are we more powerful than the SUN??? Increase sunspot activity can cause global Warming. Why are people so arrogant to think that the earth has survived for millions of years, yet we have the power to destroy it. Do we kill all the cows??? From what I hear they contribute more to global warming than cars!! Lets have a real scientifict debate about this...the Media is so onesided on this issue(like alot of things)
Who's responsible for the massive concentrated feed lots full of millions of cattle around the world? Couldn't be humans, could it? You're correct to assume high-density cattle feed lots are environmentally destructive, but to think that cows would exist in such concentrations in a world without industrialized human populations is completely moronic.
One cause of an ice age can be global warming. if you are going to argue at least be educated in what you are arguing. If the icecaps melt and the earths surface is covered in more water than now it will reflect more sunlight (since soil absorbs sunlight and heats up) causing the earth to slowly cool over time until it eventaully freezes, and thousands of years later recedes back. the difference this time is that it isnt natural, for example catastrophic volcanic eruptions can block sunlight for years, plunging the earth into a deep freeze. The 2000 climitologists that met this year to discuss global warming are not the media, they know more about this than you and I, and they unanimously concluded that global warming is occuring and is almost certainly caused entirely by human activity, be it car exhaust or cows. I am just curious how you can possibly think our activity on this earth hasnt caused problems, no matter your job or faith, I do not see how you could presume the pollution we dump everywhere has no effect on our ecosystem.
If your concerned about the way things are going for our environment and would like to see the appropriate actions be put into place I would highly suggest you RESEARCH Technocracy(.ca)
The answers and quite a few other uneasy questions to answer are available to anyone who wishes to see them.
Guns don't kill people, cows do..
Something is fishy with this report: every other global warming study has come to the conclusion that mild global warming is good for plant growth, and that it would actually be profitable for our agricultural industry in the short term. Now this report contradicts that, so either something is wrong with this report, or something is wrong with all the other economic studies of global warming. Either way, you've been a bit quick to start trumpeting it's results.
Robert: The media is *NOT* one sided (exluding FOX). I would guess rather, that you just dont like what they are saying.
www.junkscience.com
Taoist... I’m a liberal and I can admit that fox is less "one sided" than the others. Funny how people have to result to insults when a disagreement occurs. And you call him a moron! Maybe he did do some research and either where he read is wrong or he misunderstood. Please be more civil. I believe we are causing global warming, but I believe there are as many natural causes as industrial/human causes. That doesn't change the fact we need to be as careful as possible.
The bottom line is, the C02 levels in the atmosphere are 37% higher now then the average of pre-industrial humanity. Now...it is either an amazing coinkydink that since we started polluting, these levels have jumped, or it's our fault. If you are one of those coinkydink people...I have some swampland in Florida to sell you:-)
This cannot be compaired to past cycles cause of the sharpe increase of Industrial change. The earth's population is nearing 3 trillion (higher than ever before) and China is 1.5 billion of that number. Now that China is out of thier ression their growing, industrially speaking, four fold of the United States. With the increase of industrial demand comes, yes, you guessed it, carbon emissions. Global Warming is happening and if you deny this your reasoning can only come from past cycles. And we alread shot that basis out of the water.
hmm...Aaron seemed to mix up my comment with someone else's. I wasn't talking about the media. I was talking about the fact that this report is finding a loss in crops from global warming when everyone else has found global warming to be an agricultural boon, at least for the short term.