| Global warming over the next half-century | | | | no reason to wait and hope that hydrogen fuel |
| could put more than a million species of | | | | cell vehicles will solve the problem in the |
| plants and animals on the road to extinction, | | | | future. Right away, we should put existing |
| according to an international study | | | | technologies for building cleaner cars and |
| | | | more modern electricity generators into |
| Thomas, lead author of the study published in | | | | widespread use. |
| the science journal Nature, said emissions | | | | |
| from cars and factories could push | | | | If current trends continue Global warming |
| temperatures up to levels not seen for 1 | | | | will have catastrophic effects like: |
| million to 30 million years by the end of the | | | | |
| century, threatening many habitats. The | | | | • Melting glaciers, early snowmelt |
| sweeping new analysis, enlisting scientists | | | | and severe droughts will cause more dramatic |
| from 14 laboratories around the globe, found | | | | water shortages in the American West. |
| that more than one-third of 1,103 native | | | | |
| species they studied in six regions around | | | | • Rising sea levels will lead to |
| the world could vanish or plunge to near | | | | coastal flooding on the Eastern seaboard, in |
| extinction by 2050 as climate change turns | | | | Florida, and in other areas, such as the Gulf |
| plains into deserts or alters forests. | | | | of Mexico. |
| | | | |
| Global warming is widely blamed on rising | | | | • Warmer sea surface temperatures |
| concentrations of carbon dioxide in the | | | | will fuel more intense hurricanes in the |
| atmosphere linked to emissions of gases from | | | | south-eastern Atlantic and Gulf coasts. |
| burning fossil fuels in cars, factories and | | | | |
| power plants. We can cut global warming | | | | • Forests, farms and cities will face |
| pollution by reducing pollution from vehicles | | | | troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne |
| and power plants. | | | | diseases. |
| | | | |
| We can increase our reliance on renewable | | | | • Disruption of habitats such as |
| energy sources such as wind, sun and | | | | coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive |
| geothermal. And we can manufacture more | | | | many plant and animal species to extinction. |
| efficient appliances and conserve energy. | | | | |
| | | | Such alarming facts call for some serious |
| But all this will take time, instead we | | | | action on each one's part and we can |
| should think of alternatives which can be | | | | contribute by sharing our vehicles and making |
| done immediately like doing ridesharing or | | | | carpools in our cities. |
| carpool, using clean fuel like CNG. There is | | | | |