Abstract:
In 2006, northern glaciers melt faster; sea levels rise; and warmer ocean waters expand. Global warming, driven by the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, is affecting life on the planet. Manuel reviews scientific information to project how these changes will affect plants, animals, and humans in North Carolina by the year 2100. In August 2005, North Carolina joined nearly forty other states in taking the initiative on global warming with the passage of the N.C. Global Warming Act. Among the act's requirements are the creation of a thirty-four member commission that will consider impacts on the state from rising temperatures and evaluate recommendations to reduce pollution.