Earth’s Temperature Continues To Rise

Last year continued a long-term trend of rising global temperatures, concludes a NASA report released last week. The report notes that with the exception of 1998, the 10 warmest years in the 134-year record have occurred since 2000, with 2010 and 2005 ranking as the warmest recorded. The average global temperature last year was 14.6 ºC, which is 0.6 ºC warmer than the mid-20th-century baseline. NASA scientists expect the warming trend to continue because of growing emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide. In a related development, 18 environmental groups urged President Barack Obama last week to end his frequently announced emphasis of an “all of the above” energy strategy. Instead, the groups say the President should prioritize his support for energy sources by considering their climate impacts. They say Obama’s encouragement of oil drilling, for instance, is at cross-purposes with his professed goal of cutting carbon pollution, as shown by his recently proposed limits on power plant CO₂ emissions.