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2002 Was Hot!
Arthur Stamoulis
 Last
year was the second hottest year on record, according to scientists
at the United Nation's World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Since scientists began keeping accurate records on temperature in 1860, the hottest ten years have all occurred since 1987. The hottest year on record remains 1998, with 2001 coming in third after 2002.
Kenneth Davidson, the WMO's World Climate Program Director, says that, "The rate of increase [in temperature] is unprecedented in the last 1,000 years."
This rise in temperature is already causing changes in the world's weather patterns and organisms' lifecycles. Most scientists blame human-made carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions for the rise in temperatures.
The WMO's Assistant Secretary-General, Hong Yan, says, "If no very effective measures are taken for preventing further release of greenhouse gases, then the trend will continue."
People can take steps to reduce their own levels of greenhouse gas emissions, by choosing public transportation over cars and conserving energy at home, for instance, but many experts believe that much more large-scale changes will be required to slow down global climate change.
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