February 16, 2007

Scorched Earth

A major international report blames humans for causing the planet's fever, but some scientists say the prognosis is too rosy

By RICHARD MONASTERSKY

For the past three years, leading scientists from more than 40 countries have been conducting a physical of the planet. They have monitored its vital signs, probed its parts, taken its temperature, measured its bodily fluids. When they gathered in Paris this month to release their report, they issued a stark diagnosis:

"Warming of the climate system is now unequivocal," said Susan Solomon, co-leader of the 1,200 scientists who produced the global-warming report for the United