A new study says that temperatures at the top of the world are rising fast, and warn that if current trends continue, the days of polar bears, and low lying coastal areas could be numbered. They point to the rise in greenhouse gases as the culprit.
But while the world moves to cut carbon emissions with the Kyoto Treaty, the US remains defiantly on the sidelines — questioning the economics and effectiveness of the global pact. The Bush administration says the treaty would cost billions of dollars, millions of jobs and barely slow the rising mercury. European leaders admit Kyoto is a small step, but an absolutely vital one — with or without the U.S.
Guests:
Dr. Kilparti Ramakrishna, Woods Hole Research Center
Dr. Lonnie Thompson, Glaciologist at Ohio State University’s Byrd Polar Research Center
Former U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation
Roger A. Sedjo, Senior Fellow at Resources for the Future
Jos Delbeke, Director General for Environment at the European Commission