During the late 1980s and 1990s, the alleged "Greenhouse Effect" captured the interest of news magazines, radio, and television programs. Predictions from various scientists range from a coming cataclysmic, worldwide impact to little or no impact at all. However, those scientists on the apocalyptic side seem to have captured the greatest interest from the media as well as policy makers from state governments and international organizations, such as the World Bank. Foreboding scenarios are conjured, including world food shortages, melting polar ice caps accompanied by severe flooding of coastal land masses, destruction of ecosystems, and greatly increased severity of storm activity (hurricanes, etc.). Most of the greenhouse effect is attributed to the burning of fossil fuels which releases tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere, trapping heat and warming the planet.