Oceans and forests absorb excess CO2 from the atmosphere, enabling the ecosystem to maintain a healthy balance. Scientists now contend that the environment is warming at a rate of one hundred times faster than normal. Arctic glacial melting will make the oceans rise by several meters, thus inundating low-lying areas and destroying much fertile farmland. Attendant changes in the world weather system will render many heavily populated areas infertile and probably uninhabitable, resulting in billions of environmental refugees, widespread social chaos and possible mass starvation.

Recognizing the threat of rapid global warming, the United Nations is drawing up an agenda of actions to be taken by all nations. Some of the measures recommended by scientists are: (1) increase funding for research and development of alternative energy sources, including solar, tidal, and wind; (2) sponsor massive international tree-planting programs.

As guardians of the earth, we should do our best to conserve energy and urge our governments to adopt measure which will contribute to abating the greenhouse effect.