According to a report from a wire service, scientists in Washington have found strong evidence suggesting that the increase in ocean temperatures over the last 40 years is directly linked to the industrial emission of carbon dioxide. Researchers in the US compared the ocean temperature increase with climate models and determined that human activity is the main cause. They predict that this warming will significantly affect regional water supplies in the future. The study was presented at a science meeting in Washington DC, where the team considered various scenarios to explain the oceanic observations, such as natural climate variability, solar radiation, and volcanic emissions, but none of these explanations were sufficient. Dr Barnett stated that greenhouse warming was the key factor, with a model that accurately replicated temperature changes in the oceans with a 95% statistical confidence. Researchers believe this is conclusive evidence that human activities are causing global warming. The team warns that regional water supplies will be significantly impacted by climate change in the near future. In areas such as the South American Andes and western China, millions of people could face water shortages during the summer due to glaciers melting at a faster rate. Dr Barnett emphasized that if snow melts earlier and societies are unable to capture the water, water shortages will occur in the summer. The Scripps researcher emphasized the importance of political leadership in preventing a global disaster. They expressed hope for the US to take action in addressing global warming-related issues worldwide, stressing the need to first understand the extent of the problems before finding solutions.