Read the following passage and represent the main argument (that is, not including sub-arguments) in standard form, specifying what kind of support the premise(s) provide the conclusion (what kind of arrow would you draw?)

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Read the following passage and represent the main argument (that is, not including sub-arguments) in standard form, specifying what kind of support the premise(s) provide the conclusion (what kind of arrow would you draw?). Then evaluate of the whole argument. For each part of the argument, consider the following questions:

1. Support: If the premises were true, would they provide a good reason to accept the conclusion?

2. Truth: Are the premises true?

Justify your answers. If you cannot determine whether a premise is true, you should explain what kind of evidence would be relevant. How could you find out whether the premise was true or not? What kind of source could you use to check?

We are told that global average temperature is supposed to increase by between 1.4 and 5.8 degrees by year 2100. Australia's contribution to greenhouse gas production is about 2 per cent of the world's production. Therefore, Australia's contribution to global warming this century would amount to between 0.03 and 0.1 degrees. An ordinary thermometer used in meteorological observations can be read to 0.1 degree, so Australia's contribution over the century would barely register on a thermometer. So although there may be good reasons for reducing this country's greenhouse gas production, we should not delude ourselves that it will be of any practical use in reducing global warming.

Adapted from a letter to The Age newspaper, 2006.