These scientists stated with unprecedented confidence that human activity is responsible for most of the observed warming of 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 140 years.
"Human activities are changing Earth's climate," the 537-word statement begins, going on to add that "extensive, independent observations confirm the reality of global warming." Among the observations cited are warming air and sea temperatures, melting glaciers and rising seas.
While the 15 person committee who carefully crafted the statement said that society will face unavoidable consequences from climate change, they also indicated that there is time to lessen the impacts.
"Actions to diminish the threats posed by climate change to society and ecosystems include substantial cuts to emissions to reduce the magnitude of climate change, as well as preparing for changes that are now unavoidable," the statement says.
"In addition, human-induced climate change may alter atmospheric circulation, dislocating historical patterns of natural variability and storminess."
These scientists have indicated that climate change will produce wide ranging affects from extreme weather events to threats to agriculture and coastal infrastructure. Some of the impacts of climate change are somewhat counter intuitive such as cooling in some regions.
"While important scientific uncertainties remain as to which particular impacts will be experienced where," the statement reads, "no uncertainties are known that could make the impacts of climate change inconsequential."
"I think it is going to be very, very hard for the world to come to grips with this," North said. "So one thing we really need to do is think about adaptation: How are we going to adapt to climate change?"
© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.
Related Articles
AGU: Human-induced Climate Change Requires Urgent Action
Relationship Between Warming Over Land and in the Sea
Video - Documentary on the Evidence and the Impacts of Climate Change
Video - Climate 2013: Perspectives of 8 Climate Scientists (Video)
Comprehensive Review of the Science on Anthropogenic Climate Change
Climate Change is Already Killing 400,000 People Annually
Video - A Brief History of Anthropogenic Climate Change Science
Key Findings of the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-5)
World Resources Institute Warning About New Coal Plants
PricewaterhouseCoopers Climate Change Warning
International Renewable Energy Institute Climate Warning
Warning from the International Energy Agency: The World's Ongoing Reliance on Fossil Fuels Crushes Hopes of Averting Climate Change
World Bank Climate Change Warning
World Meteorological Organization Climate Warning
World Bank Climate Change Warning
UNEP Warning: We are on The Brink of a Climate Catastrophe
World Bank Report Warns of A 4°C World
10 Charts on Climate Change
Strong Body of Evidence for a Changing Climate
American Meteorological Society Corroborates Anthropogenic Climate Change
More Scientific Support for Anthropogenic Climate Change
Science and Pernicious Ignorance of Climate Change Denial
The Fifth Global Environmental Outlook Report
A New Study Indicates We Are Reaching a Tipping Points
Environmental Tipping Points
Climate Change Science
Top Four Climate Studies of 2011
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
2012 is but the Latest Year Marked by Heat and Drought
Heat in the US Northeast and Drought Around the World IN 2012
Temperature Data: 1880 - 2011 (Video)
New NASA Video Graphically Illustrates that the Earth is Warming
Debunking CO2 Myths and The Science of Climate Change
Primer on CO2 and other GHGs
Video: Why People are Confused about the Scientific Veracity of Climate Change
0 comments:
Post a Comment