Global warming is defined by the increase in the average global temperature. A predicted temperature change of only 3 degrees Fahrenheit could have an enormous impact on our planet. According to journalist Amy Lynd Luers of Catalyst Magazine, such a temperature change could cause the extinction of several species and melt polar icecaps so that the water level we call sea level would rise as much as 40 feet.

To combat global warming, the United States is meeting with more than 180 other countries under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The plan is to reduce the amount of heat-trapping greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, from collecting in the atmosphere. Such a reduction would slow down escalating global temperature.

The theory shared by many scientists involved is that developed countries would be most responsible for emissions control, since industrialization is the greatest factor related to global warming.

The problem is that little is being done to meet the goals identified, and policy makers have not yet developed a realistic plan of action to work toward a solution.

Former Vice President Al Gore's Academy Award-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" explores climate change. The following passage, taken from Gore's book, explains why confusion on this topic still remains: "The misconception that there is serious disagreement among scientists about global warming is actually an illusion that has been deliberately fostered by a relatively small but extremely well-funded cadre of special interests, including Exxon Mobil, and a few other oil, coal, and utilities companies. These companies want to prevent any new policies that would interfere with their current business plans that rely on the massive, unrestrained dumping of global warming pollution into the Earth's atmosphere every hour of every day."

Dr. Naomi Oreskes, a University of California at San Diego scientist, compared articles on global warming in science journals to those in newspapers like the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Her findings revealed that while there was no disagreement among scientists' articles that humans cause global warming, 53 percent of the newspaper articles on global warming printed in the news media cast doubt on the cause.

When students at Palo Alto College were asked about this issue, just one single person wanted to be quoted for this article. "The single most responsible factor in global warming is pollution," said freshman nursing student Monica Medina.

Associate Professor Brad S. Chandler of Palo Alto's Science Department said, "People are unwilling to make a lifestyle change when they don't believe they are contributing to the problem."

Assistant Professor of Geology Dr. Glen Tanck attributed the overwhelming consumption of fossil fuels to the presence of the greenhouse gases. Tanck suggested that some things we can do to control the escalating temperature include conserving gasoline, conserving electricity and investing in alternative energy sources.

To find out more about what you can do to help avert this crisis, pick up a copy of Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," or investigate Web sites like www.climatecrisis.net