http://www.startribune.com/561/story/905392.html

Climate: Another year of living dangerously

Was 2006 hot enough for you?

The year now ending was the third-warmest in the United States since record-keeping began in 1880, according to scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Worldwide, they say, it was fifth-warmest -- after 2005, 1998, 2002 and 2003.

Things were even worse elsewhere. In Britain, 2006 was No. 1 in the heat parade of temperature statistics stretching back to the 1600s. Records also fell in Australia and parts of the Arctic.

Still hotter times are ahead. With an El Niño building in the Pacific, NASA predicts 2007 will be warmer than 2006.

All reasonable projections show surface temperatures continuing to rise for decades, even if bold steps were taken worldwide to cut emissions of globe-warming greenhouse gases immediately. Alas, 2006 was another year of meager progress on emissions, with the United States maintaining its indefensible position on the sidelines.

President Bush kicked off the year, in his State of the Union speech, acknowledging that Americans are "addicted to oil" and pledging dramatic policy changes; these were quickly downsized or forgotten.......................