Collegiate Times

Global warming seems to be all over the news recently. From covers of notable magazines to your favorite nightly news shows and even in classes across universities nationwide, global warming is under the spotlight.

What remains even more interesting is the claim that it could, in fact, be connected to the Atlantic hurricane season in 2005. Last hurricane season consisted of a record 14 and included Hurricane Katrina, the deadliest Atlantic hurricane in 77 years.

Even if you were not directly affected by one of these hurricanes, you more than likely heard about them all over the news and front pages. Issues with Hurricane Katrina are still being discussed and while much progress is being made, there is still more to be done.

Perhaps, at a time like this, this is why many scientists, top experts and even a leading U.S. government storm researcher, are linking these hurricanes to global warming.

While there are those who agree that the winds and warming waters in the Caribbean are due to the increase in greenhouse gases, many remain skeptical if this can ever be proven.

The Bush administration, as well, says that global warming is an unproven theory.

It is important to see why these people disagree with this idea, despite others? evidence. Many feel that climate changes are natural and a part of the earth?s history as a whole.

In addition, some scientists think that the waters will warm and then go through another cooling cycle as well after five to 10 years. Others may not be concerned if the temperatures change by a degree or two over the next few years, because the difference is so minimum.

Whatever the reason, global warming has yet to be proven and as with many scientific theories, it is difficult to do so. It should be remembered however that global warming could be one influence to the increase in horrible storms and not the entire factor to consider.

Those who did agree with the recent theory believe that the melting of icebergs and the rapid warming of the waters is not normal or indeed, natural. They also feel that even if this is a ?natural process,? global warming is not helping by speeding this process up which, in turn, leads to even warmer waters.

With hurricanes in mind, this presents a dangerous condition for those living in areas that are often affected. If more record-breaking seasons were to come, the cost and impact on the United States and the individual places themselves would be enormous.

However, whether or not global warming is to blame for last year?s hurricane season and those to come is not the most important issue. What does remain essential is to urge those at a higher level, such as those in the government, to fund more research as to what is, in fact, causing these warming waters, which lead to such deadly seasons.

It might turn out to be global warming, or perhaps there are other factors involved. There is even a possibility that it could be due to something entirely new and different than being discussed.

Hence the need for more funding as to what is really going on in the Caribbean and why.





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