Climatologist James Hansen spoke to the House committee on global warming yesterday.   His testimony is chilling and his message is clear: this is our last chance. If we don’t take drastic measures now,we wont be able to “defuse the global warming time bomb.”

The full report is a call to action- individuals can take great steps to lower our carbon footprint. But what we need now is action from our leaders:

Changes needed to preserve creation, the planet on which civilization developed, are clear. But the changes have been blocked by special interests, focused on short-term profits, who hold sway in Washington and other capitals….I argue that a path yielding energy independence and a healthier environment is, barely, still possible. It requires a transformative change of direction in Washington in the next year… CEOs of fossil energy companies know what they are doing and are aware of long-term consequences of continued business as usual. In my opinion, these CEOs should be tried for high crimes against humanity and nature...Democracy works, but sometimes churns slowly. Time is short. The 2008 election is critical for the planet. If Americans turn out to pasture the most brontosaurian congressmen, if Washington adapts to address climate change, our children and grandchildren can still hold great expectations.

takepart read James Hansen’s testimony in its entirety.

Related:

NASA Scientist Issues Dire Warning on Global Warming

NASA warming scientist: ‘This is the last chance

James Hansen: Prosecute oil companies, top scientist says