Global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that trap heat in the atmosphere. This greenhouse effect has raised Earth's average surface temperature and caused changes to the climate. Effects of global warming include more severe weather, melting Arctic ice and permafrost, rising sea levels that threaten coastal and island areas, and disruptions to ecosystems that support Arctic communities. The Kyoto Protocol was an agreement signed in 1997 where developed nations committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012, but global temperatures continue rising without sufficient action. Failure to curb emissions risks major climate change and destructive future warming.