In its Wednesday-released ‘most comprehensive report ever on climate change,’ the National Academy of Sciences argued vehemently in defense of the science of climate change but also recommended taxes on carbon emissions.

Calling for a long-term national policy for restricting the effects of climate change, the report also underscored the likelihood that global warming might make it necessary to shift the ‘at risk’ people away from coasts.

In a marked change from its thus-far-cautious approach, the new report by the National Academy of Sciences has suggested that either there should be a cap-and-trade program for reducing greenhouse gas emissions; or some other strong action should be taken to curb global warming and its disastrous effects.

Noting that strict actions are necessary at least in the immediate future, Stanford University’s Pamela A. Matson – the chairperson of one of the five panels evaluating climate change – said: “Climate change is occurring, the Earth is warming ... concentrations of carbon dioxide are increasing, and there are very clear fingerprints that link those effects to humans.”

Going by the suggestions of the panel, the US should take necessary measures limit carbon emissions to a total of 170 to 200 billion tons of greenhouse gases – which corresponds to an 80 percent reduction of carbon compared to present projections - during the period 2012 to 2050.