Global warming and the greenhouse effect have been widely recognized as a major concern for both the developed and developing world since 1995, when a panel of experts assembled by the United Nations - the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) - stated that "the balance of evidence suggest a discernible human influence on the global climate". In 2001 IPCC further stated that ‘there is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last fifty years is attributable to human activities’.

To explain climate change in brief, the earth maintains its equilibrium temperature through a careful balance between the incoming solar radiation it absorbs and the outgoing infrared radiation it emits, some of which goes to space. Greenhouse gases have the effect of upsetting this balance by absorbing the infrared radiation and reradiating it back to earth, thus raising temperatures. The main green house gases are:

The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen by more than 30% since 1750, this increase is widely acknowledged to be  a result of anthropogenic emissions of CO2 from the production and use of energy particularly fossil fuel combustion (about 80% of anthropogenic emissions) and to a lesser extent land use change, cement production and biomass combustion. Notably deforestation is considered to contribute significantly to CO2 emissions.  The overall warming effect over the 20th century amounts to 0.6oC (+/- 0.2oC). Global CO2 emissions are further projected to rise significantly over the next 100 years, although predictions vary depending on the scenario analysed.  Much of the projected increase is expected to occur in the developing world, as a result of rising energy consumption.

Climate change is extremely well documented from a variety of perspectives via numerous publications and websites. These perspectives include the science of climate change, what is being done internationally, regionally and nationally to address it and the implications for a range of sectors.  The following pages which are not exhaustive have selected some of the most informative sites which may be of interest to our members.  Sites which include useful background information on climate change include

Climate Change Information Tool Kit
http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/publications/infokit_2002_en.pdf

UNEP Climate Change Portal
http://climatechange.unep.net/
This portal is a central source for substantive work and information resources regarding climate change.

Facts and Trends to 2050 - Energy and Climate Change
http://www.wbcsd.org/web/publications/Basic-Facts-Trends-2050.pdf