Issue of Global Warming Discussed at Alaska

The stage was set in Anchorage, Alaska where the Mayors from 32 cities of U.S. gathered to discuss the issue of global warming on Saturday.

The agenda of the three days conference hosted over a weekend by Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich was to discuss the various methods and measures to be taken to reduce the global warming problem.

Leaders from 17 states gathered to get a first hand look at the effects of global warming on the northern hemisphere. States lead by their Mayors urged in slowing global warming process by taking requisite steps in their respective areas.

Tom Cochran, executive director, U.S. Conference of Mayors remarked, "Mayors have been leading the way on this issue through local efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions…This meeting will provide the additional assistance needed to keep cities moving forward as we strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming."

Global warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and it’s oceans. The rise occurs due to the burning of fossil fuels which add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere that trap heat.

The scientific opinion on climate change states that most of the global warming that occurred in the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. The Earth's average near-surface atmospheric temperature rose 0.6 ± 0.2 °C in the 20th century.

In a pact signed by over 300 mayors, they pledged to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide gas in their cities to 7% below 1990 levels by 2012.