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Some people still disagree with the conclusion that man-made carbon dioxide emissions are a significant cause of global warming. They therefore argue that it is an enormous mistake to endure significant economic and social costs to reduce carbon dioxide emissions for little environmental benefit. The argument for this viewpoint is presented in the review article at the Global Warming Petition Project (Links to an external site.). Genuine scientific arguments, however, are often used as propaganda material such as in the BBC 4 program The Great Global Warming Swindle (available at https://youtu.be/oYhCQv5tNsQ). Note that much of the material in this video has been challenged (Links to an external site.) or debunked (Links to an external site.). Policy-makers who often have very little scientific background need to decide a course of action in the face of conflicting scientific opinions.   From the perspective of a policy-maker, discuss the environmental, economic, and social benefits and costs of policies based on each of the two viewpoints: “It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.” (IPCC 5th Assessment report) “There are no experimental data to support the hypothesis that increases in human hydrocarbon use or in atmospheric carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are causing or can be expected to cause unfavorable changes in global temperatures, weather, or landscape.” (Petition Project Report) 3. Considering the points in the discussions, as a policy-maker would you support a policy to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions over the short term? Explain the reasoning behind your decision. What factors are most important?