But actions on what level or scale are necessary? Lawmakers, here and internationally, are advising cautious courses of action to address the prospect of climate change that many believe is still theoretical and cannot be foreseen with confidence. "Given uncertainties about the timing, pace, and magnitude of global warming projections and the imprecise nature of the regional distribution of possible climate changes, and recognizing the complex feedback mechanisms within the climate system that could mask, mimic, moderate, amplify, or even reverse a greenhouse-gas-induced warming, the question is posed: What policy responses, if any, are indicated, now, or in the future?" (Fletcher, 7) Many supporters of early actions to address potential climate change have suggested adopting a "precautionary principle" made up of a number of anticipatory, yet flexible policy responses that might be compared to an insurance policy purchase to hedge against some risks of potential climate modifications in the future
A hotter climate would most likely have far reaching effects on agriculture and forestry, managed and un-managed ecosystems, including natural habitats, human health, water resources, and the Earth's sea level depending on the climate's actual responses to the global warming. (Justus, 1) Although correlative synergies between projected long-range global climate trends and record-setting warmth and several severe weather events of the past two decades have not been fully drawn, research has been focused on possible extremes of climate change and the need for more complete and pervasive comprehension of climate processes to better climate model forecasts
Changes in the climate other than average temperatures have more direct impacts on nature and society. (Bensel & Turk, 2011) Climate changes have occurred repeatedly over the course of Earth's entire history, before, during, and likely, after the existence of the human race
Results One simulated study came to somewhat conflicting conclusions. A computer model of China's carbon emissions and GDP using eleven sustainability factors and data previously collected predicted an initial climb in carbon emissions along with GDP, followed by a much more dramatic drop (Ojekunle et al
Direct observational studies have come to their own conclusions. Recently discovered fossil fish remains show that near tropical ocean temperatures existed much farther north than they do today, suggesting that the Earth has been far warmer in its geological past than it is today (Newbrey et al
2009). At the same time, a careful scientific study that attempted to account for the natural temperature cycle of the Earth, which is mainly driven by oceanic currents, found that even with natural variability accounted for the trend in the twentieth century has been an unrelenting warming trend (Swanson et al
2009). A separate modeling study that examined China and rural India predicted major carbon emission increases and global warming if aid was not provided to assist these countries in a shift to low-carbon energy producing technologies (Urban 2009)