More 60-Second Earth In 1959 physicist Gilbert Plass warned in
Scientific American that increasing concentrations of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere was causing climate change. In 1965
President Lyndon Johnson warned Congress of the risk. In 1979
the U.S. National Academy of Sciences warned against a wait-and-
see attitude (pdf). But we have waited. And now most of us see.
Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are changing the
climate. And a new report from the U.S. National Research
Council argues—again—that we urgently need a national approach
to reducing that pollution since its impacts will be with us for
hundreds or even thousands of years. One possibility is to make
polluters pay for the cost of greenhouse gas emissions. For
example, a tax on fossil fuel burned would spur investment in
cleaner energy technologies, such as renewables or nuclear
power. Other nations will also have to reduce such pollution.
But this latest report suggests that if the U.S. reduces its
emissions, we're in a better po