Following the industrial revolution the amount of greenhouse gasses produced and dispersed into the atmosphere as significantly increased, These gasses have a very similar effect on the planet earth as the insulation in your home - They keep the heat IN.
This means that the sea levels are rising far quicker than would normally be expected. Eventually this 'Global Warming' will lead to rising sea levels and as a consequence of this, much of the earths land mass will be lost into the sea.

In response to the global warming issue, representatives from the major industrialised nations of the world met in 1992 for the Rio Summit where they voluntarily agreed to make efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses.

This in turn led to the Kyoto Protocol signed in Kyoto, Japan in 1997 where 38 nations agreed to set legally binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse gases. CO₂ is the No.1 cause of Global Warming today.

The 1990s was the warmest decade since records began. This was caused through the emissions from fossil fuel, from cars and industry. The CO₂ levels have increased by 1/3 since the early 1800s.

Greenhouse emissions consist of Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, Hydrofluorocarbons of which CO2 is 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions. A global target is to reduce CO₂ levels by 2050. Governments are required to achieve targets set by the Kyoto Agreement.
These are:

• EU target 5% reduction re 1990 by 2012
• Ireland target +13% re 1990 by 2012
• UK set 20% reduction re 1990 by 2010