From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

Is the fight against global warming already lost?

Hello again, I'm Orman Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

the daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Just as President Obama cracks down on climate change, scientists have issued a new wake-up call. Even if greenhouse gases

were cut back to pre-industrial levels, it would still take a thousand years to reverse the

warming that's already occurred. Does that mean the effort is not worth the trouble? Or is it

time to get serious

before it's really too late? With new innovative technology, can we grow the consumer economy

at the same time we reduce greenhouse gas? Is the real problem? Too many people. On reporter's

notebook later on, will the Postal Service cut deliveries?

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio International Program Fund,

whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again, Mormon Alney, back with To the Point.

Scientists now say

climate change cannot be reversed for a thousand years, even if greenhouse gases are cut to

pre-industrial levels. What does that mean for green technology? Should the consumer economy

be reduced instead of expanded? On reporter's notebook, the Postal Service is threatening to drop a day

of deliveries. Is it crying wolf?

First, this news update. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich boycotted his impeachment trial by the

state Senate, but today he appeared to deliver an impassioned closing statement. He said the only

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