Global Warming
The Earth is warming and human activity is the primary cause. Climate disruptions put our food and water supply at risk, endanger our health, jeopardize our national security, and threaten other basic human needs. Some impacts—such as record high temperatures, melting glaciers, and severe flooding and droughts—are already becoming increasingly common across the country and around the world. So far, our national leaders are failing to act quickly to reduce heat-trapping emissions.
However, there is much we can do to protect the health and economic well-being of current and future generations from the consequences of the heat-trapping emissions caused when we burn coal, oil, and gas to generate electricity, drive our cars, and fuel our businesses.
Our country is at a crossroads: the United States can act responsibly and seize the opportunity to lead by developing new, innovative solutions, as well as immediately putting to use the many practical solutions we have at our disposal today; or we can choose to do nothing and deal with severe consequences later. At UCS we believe the choice is clear. It is time to push forward toward a brighter, cleaner future.
What is Global Warming?
When CO2 and other heat-trapping emissions are released into the air, they act like a blanket, holding heat in our atmosphere and warming the planet. Overloading our atmosphere with carbon has far-reaching effects for people everywhere. Learn more
Global Warming Science & Impacts
What does the science say about global warming and what are the connections between climate data and the changes we see around us—and those we expect to see in the future? Learn more
Global Warming Contrarians
Why has it been so difficult to achieve meaningful solutions? Media pundits, partisan think tanks, and special interest groups funded by fossil fuel and related industries raise doubts about the truth of global warming. These deniers downplay and distort the evidence of climate change, demand policies that allow industries to continue polluting, and attempt to undercut existing pollution standards. UCS fights misrepresentations of global warming, providing sound, science-based evidence to set the record straight. Learn more
Global Warming Solutions
Who can reduce global warming emissions? We can—together. Our individual efforts are important, but the biggest impact on climate change will come from large-scale changes—well-reasoned international, national, and regional policies; thoughtful, systematic efforts to reduce polluting fossil fuel energy sources and unsound land use practices; and steady progress toward a green, sustainable future. Learn more
Support Our Work
For more than 20 years, UCS has worked with leading experts to educate United States decision makers and the public about global warming, and implement practical solutions at an international, national, regional, and state levels. UCS recently helped defend California's landmark global warming law from attacks by Texas oil companies. You can help support this work:
Features
Successes
Recent successes in Global Warming include:
- Coordinated U.S. scientists and economists statement with over 2,000 signatures calling for emissions reductions
- Engaged aspiring writers and photographers to submit entries to an online book—Thoreau’s Legacy: American Stories About Global Warming
- Educated policy makers and mobilized activists on nation’s first program limiting carbon emissions from power plants
- Played lead role in developing a regional cap-and-trade program in the Midwest
- Helped win legislation in Minnesota to fund a study of cap-and-trade auctions
- Supported international climate negotiations by highlighting the role an agreement on reducing tropical deforestation can play in our report Out of the Woods
Analysis
Climate Impacts to U.S. Midwest
The Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest series shows that without strong action to reduce heat-trapping emissions, midwestern states could face dramatic changes.
Study Shows Sensible Path to Clean Energy Economy
Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy found that implementing a smart set of climate, energy, and transportation policies can save consumers and businesses money while deeply reducing our nation's heat-trapping emissions
A Target for U.S. Emissions Reduction
This UCS report explains why the U.S. must cut heat-trapping emissions by 80 percent.
Impacts of California's Global Warming Law
A December 2009 analysis of California's AB 32 law limiting emissions shows that even if California’s small businesses do nothing to decrease their energy use over the next 10 years, they will likely experience only a small and manageable impact from the state’s policies to reduce global warming pollution.
In Clean Energy section:
Coal Power in a Warming World
This report describes how coal plant emissions may be cut substantially in order to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.
and
A Better Climate Bill
This UCS analysis shows that raising efficiency and renewable electricity standards as part of a comprehensive climate bill can increase benefits for consumers and industry.
In Nuclear Power section:
Nuclear Power in a Warming World
This report describes the role nuclear power should play as a climate change solution.
Campaigns
Attack on the Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act, originally passed in 1973 and amended in 1990, was designed to protect our public health and environment and has successfully done so for nearly 40 years. This hallmark legislation is currently under attack in Congress.
The Weight of the Evidence
UCS is leading a campaign to elevate the voices of climate scientists around the country to disprove fallacies and educate the public about the real facts on global warming. Click here to learn more and to see how you can help.
Resources
Quick Facts about Global Warming Science:
See our Global Warming FAQ page for the real answers and information!
Visit the Climate Hot Map to learn about the effects of global warming.
Debunking the Climate Contrarians:
Our Global Warming Contrarians page exposes recent misinformation and gets to the facts behind "Climategate."
Our 2007 report Smoke, Mirrors and Hot Air documents ExxonMobil's tobacco-like disinformation campaign on global warming science.
Migrating Climates:
The Migrating Climates feature provides a visualization of the effects of climate projections by estimating where selected states in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast will have "moved" climatically over the next century.
For students and teachers:
Cool It! Global Warming Card Game
Cool It! is the new card game from UCS that teaches kids about the choices we have when it comes to climate change-and how policy and technology decisions made today will matter.
For scientists:
Northeast Climate Impacts Database
This web-based database provides registered users with free access to most of the climate data generated for the Northeast Climate Impacts Report, including projected changes this century in temperature, precipitation, relative humidity, snow cover, and more that can be expected in the Northeast under higher and lower emission scenarios.
