Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Tipping Points and Irreversible Climate Change

Warning, this is not an optimistic report from Nina Chestney at Reuters. The report is an initial summary of presentations at the "Planet Under Pressure" conference taking place in London.

"Scientific estimates differ but the world's temperature looks set to rise by six degrees Celsius by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are allowed to rise uncontrollably."

The tipping points include loss of Arctic and Antarctic glaciers, loss of Amazon rainforest, and release of millions of tons of carbon currently frozen in Siberian permafrost. 

It is a bleak picture. And it is supported by what is happening right now. See NASA's Global Climate Change Indicators

As a footnote, here is the link to Planet Under Pressure.

1 comment:

Bill Fintel said...

Six degrees Celsius is more than 10 °F. Imagine mid-Atlantic summer highs of more than 110 °F.

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