Theoretical meteorologist Richard Somerville put forth the case that global warming is a serious issue, and is due to manmade causes-- primarily from carbon dioxide emissions. If major changes are not undertaken soon, we'll experience noticeable problems by mid-century, and the situation will be even more drastic by the end of the century, he warned.

While the issue of global warming has become politicized in the United States, he noted that is not the case in other countries. For instance, France's newly elected conservative leader has expressed concern over the climate problem. Somerville was one of the authors of the IPPC 2007 assessment report which unequivocally details the pressing issue of climate change. The findings, which were arrived at by mainstream climate scientists, are disputed by a small group of "contrarians," but he pointed out that contrarians are found in all fields of science, such as the doctor who denied that HIV causes AIDS.

The climate changes are not due to natural fluctuations-- such natural factors can't be reproduced in computer models, Somerville stated. In order to reduce emissions, there are a number of steps that can be taken such as energy conservation and the embracing of new energy technologies-- and these actions could actually be beneficial to the economy, he argued.