* Glaciers on the coast of Greenland are eroding at the rate of about 3 feet a year. If this continues, the Greenland ice cap may melt entirely within the next 50 years, raising the regional sea level by 23 feet.

* Conversely, the worldwide potable water supply is likely to decrease. Sub-tropical populations are expected to be among the hardest hit.

* The World Health Organization estimates that upwards of 150,000 die each year as a direct result of climate change. Potential effects include heat waves, flooding, storms, and drought.

* Carbon dioxide and methane gases exist in the Earth’s atmosphere at a higher level then at any time in the past 420,000 years.

* Ocean heat content and water vapor increased over the past several decades. The burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests, which have significantly elevated carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, which in turn influences water temperature. This is believed to have contributed to increased cyclone activity.

-Compiled by Opinion Staff