2005 was the warmest year on the planet in more than 1000 years. The Earth has warmed by almost 1°C during the past 150 years. Was this just by chance or caused by human pollution of the atmosphere, especially by carbon dioxide? I will show evidence to support the conclusion of the last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report which said, "There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities." I will explain the science behind global warming and describe how global warming will affect us, including sea level rise, stronger hurricanes, and threats to water resources and our food supply. Finally, I will discuss policy options for addressing the problem.

How the climate will change and the impacts of global warming can be addressed by science. What society chooses to do about this is a political decision, influenced by different values and interests. However, clear understanding of the science is a necessary input to these decisions, and in this talk I will clearly separate the science aspects from the policy aspects.

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