The Next Sahara?

If you want to make the case for climate change, Europe's rain-or a lack thereof-might provide clues.

Between 1925 and 1999, the area between 40 and 70 degrees north latitude grew rainier, while the area between zero and 30 degrees north grew drier. In keeping with this broad trend, northern Europe seems to be growing wetter, while the southern part of the continent grows more arid. The Spanish Environment Ministry has estimated that, owing to the combined effects of climate change and poor land-use practices, fully a third of the country is at risk of desertification. Meanwhile, the island of Cyprus has become so parched that in the summer of 2008, with its reservoir levels at just 7 percent, it was forced to start shipping in water from Greece.

You don't need to be a doomsaying raver like Al Gore to see that something is going on. The question is, can we still do something about it without resorting to phony "Carbon credit" schemes?