A quick Google news search for “global warming” today turns up nearly 2,000 articles in the first heading, thanks to a new study that says global warming is “underway right now, humans caused it, and it will continue for centuries, no matter what we do.”

The study was released in Paris by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

At a press conference in Washington, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said, “Human activity is contributing to changes in the Earth’s climate. That issue is no longer up for debate.”

Bodman said the Bush administration’s energy policies “go hand in hand with our efforts to address climate change,” with an emphasis on more research for hydrogen, solar power and ethanol production technologies.

That echoes the views expressed just last month by arctic explorer Will Steger in a press release announcing that the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council will be sponsoring his Global Warming 101 expedition this year. “There’s never been a more critical time to act. The debate is over,” said Steger. “Ethanol is available now to consumers. A renewable fuel, it’s a critical part of the solution.”

Steger’s expedition is scheduled to head off to the Great White North on Valentine’s Day, but this weekend he will be celebrating with a send-off party in his home town of Ely, Minnesota. The event will be held at the Mukluk Ball, part of the Ely Winter Festival.

This Domestic Fuel reporter will be there, decked out in faux mukluks and a brand-new down coat, hoping to survive the frigid festivities. The AccuWeather forecast calls for a low of 28 degrees below zero Saturday night.