The Digital Civilizations Interviews

But despite scientists' massive support of this cause, there is still controversy over the cause of global warming. Some climatologists claim that what we're seeing is simply the consequence of natural phenomena (like the orbits of the sun and earth). Such people are, however, in the minority.

As is, the consequences of global warming are more negative than positive for humankind and the evolution of our planet:

• Perturbations in the water cycle: heightened risk of flooding, both because of an elevated sea level and because of climate change; lowering of potential agricultural yield in most tropical and subtropical areas.
• Increased frequency and intensity of weather-based natural disasters (droughts, floods, storms, cyclones)
• Disappearance of certain coastal areas, such as deltas, mangroves, coral reefs, and beaches in the Aquitaine).
• 17.5 % reduction in the surface area of Bangladesh, 1% in that of Egypt.
• Fresh outbreaks of malaria and extension of infectious diseases such as salmonella and cholera
• Decrease in biodiversity: extinction of animal and vegetable species

However, we can find a few positive outcomes of global warming for the human environment:

• Lower energy consumption for heating purposes (but increased consumption for cooling purposes)
• Lower winter mortality rates in medium and high latitudes (as opposed to greater summer mortality rates, such as those of the heatwave of 2003).
• Increased availability of timber from correctly managed forests;
• Eventual increase in water resources in certain dry tropical and subtropical regions, but a decrease in resources in temperate regions (particularly those around the Mediterranean)
• Greater potential agricultural yield in certain countries at medium latitudes (if the warming is not too severe)

The situation is obviously a confused one, and the way it evolves will depend heavily on human actions and decision making, particularly with regards to regulating and balancing energy consumption.