a steady increase in carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels" (Johnson). .
Although Johnson had suggested change in dealings with the environment, it was not until the 1992 Rio Earth Summit attended by presidents, prime-ministers, and heads of state from around the world that put global warming on the political agenda. The summit came to be the largest environmental conference ever held, resulting in lasting regulations in sustainability. The political aspect of the agenda included differences between developed countries calling for regulations while undeveloped countries argued for a chance to reach equal status. However, the overall goal of the convention was, "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphereto allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner" (Convention on Climate Change). After climate change became an unavoidable topic in the eyes of politicians, it also became an easy point for debate.
While 97% of scientists agree that global warming is real, a stunning 33% of Americans continue to believe that the idea is a hoax, allowing the Republicans to use ill-educated peoples for votes and support. (Pew Research). The base of the battle between the two parties is the limitations of government's regulating ability and where money should be focused. For example, if there is a factory creating hazardous chemicals that are dumped into a lake, the government should have the ability to make the company find environmentally friendly waste management systems. In doing so, the water from the lake can be used for either recreational or more substantial purposes. On the other side of the spectrum, the argument exists that by saving money on dumping harmful chemicals into a lake, the customer in turn has to pay a lesser price.