Fast Forward

A Heated Argument

Over the past two centuries, civilization, unwittingly, has conducted a dangerous experiment: heating the Earth’s atmosphere. Today’s global population represents the first generation to bear the burden of this awareness – past generations did not understand the impact their actions had on the planet, and future generations will be powerless to save it. It’s up to contemporary society to take on the challenge of a global rescue.

Global warming requires a “fast forward” response that essentially will reorient industries and economies. Climate change will challenge entrepreneurs and scientists to devise new solutions. Nations will have to work together, pushing the limits of sovereignty and national interests. The problem of global warming raises ethical questions, which can serve as the basis for political answers. Human beings must consider their responsibilities for planet Earth as important as their responsibilities for their communities and countries.

The sources of global warming are well-known: Beginning with the Industrial Revolution, factories released carbon dioxide (CO2) and related gases in large enough quantities to change the way...