Rising Temperatures
- Over the past 100 years the average global surface temperature has risen by 0.74 degrees Celsius
- 11 of the 12 hottest years ever have been recorded since 1995
- It is ‘very likely' that rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing climate change, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- The IPCC predicts that temperatures re most likely to rise by between 1.8 and 4 degrees Centigrade by 2100. But the possible range is much greater: 1.1 degrees Centigrade to 6.4 degrees Centigrade.
Higher Sea Levels
- Seas rose on average by 1.7mm a year during the 20th century. Since 1993 levels have been rising at 3mm a year
- Higher sea levels are explained by water expanding as it heats up, and also by melting ice sheets and glaciers
- The IPCC have forecast that by the 2080's, sea levels will have risen by up to 69cm
- However, some top scientists have raised the possibility of larger increases as the Climate undergoes more sudden shifts
Feedback Effects and Sudden Climate Shifts
- The warming of the earth's atmosphere will trigger some processes which speed further warming
- An example of this is the melting of polar ice. Currently this ice reflects a lot of heat back into the atmosphere. As this melts, the exposed land and sea absorbs more heat and speeds up warming further
- Some recent studies have also suggested that many of the earth's climate systems will undergo sudden shifts this century as a result of Climate Change.
- They argue that society should not be lulled into a false sense of security by the idea that climate change will be a gradual process
Is It Too Late?
- To stabilize Climate Change altogether, emissions of CO2 would have to be reduced by around 70% globally. This cut is far higher than any international treaty discussions have so far agreed
- We are therefore definitely going to see some Climate Change take place. The question is how much, and how quickly
- By reducing the amount of greenhouse gases even marginally, the rate of Climate Change will be less and therefore there will be less impact on the planet and our lives
- However, it is very clear that we are in a race against time to try to prevent Climate Change spinning out of control, with the terrible consequences that this would have for civilization. It is very important that we take as much action as early as possible
- Once you have read this section, please go back to the rest of the site and start taking action to cut your own personal contribution to Climate Change
