According to the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, the planet's temperature is rapidly rising. The panel pointed out that the past 11 of 12 years have been the warmest on record. The cause of this warming is considered to be:
A) geologic trends that have been occurring since the origin of geologic time
B) human activity, such as human-caused greenhouse gas emissions
C) the shrinking of the polar ice caps
D) the increase in hurricane activity in the North Atlantic

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The IPCC report states that the cause of the planet's rapidly rising temperature is human activity, specifically human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Geologic trends and hurricane activity in the North Atlantic are not cited as significant factors in the report, and while the shrinking of the polar ice caps is a consequence of global warming, it is not the primary cause.