The rapid warming of the Earth's climate has been a concern for decades. In the past, there were sceptics who either doubted global climate change altogether or who at least doubted that humanity was the cause, but today almost all scientists agree that a global warming trend is evident and caused by human activity. Though many of us understand that this means temperatures will-on average-rise, the science and the resulting social, economic, and political implications of such a change are far-reaching and complex.