A big thing happens in a few hours from now...well...big if you believe in science. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release part 2 of its 3 part, fifth report (known as AR5) since its formation in 1988. Part 1, or Working Group 1 was released in September, and it contained 5 key findings regarding the science and data on climate change: 1. On the extreme weather front, the report concluded it is “very likely” that cold days and nights have decreased, while warm days and nights have increased, since 1950. 2. The oceans have warmed with “virtual certainty,” the report concluded, at a rate of about 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit (0.11 Celsius) per decade since 1970 in the upper 246 feet (75 meters) of surface water. 3. Sea ice (as well as glaciers and ice sheets) has declined overall since 1970. The loss of sea ice very likely accelerated since 1993. Only in Antarctica is sea ice cover growing, something predicted by climate change forecasts. In the Arctic, the average sea ice extent decreased around 3.5 to 4.1 percent per decade from 1979 to 2012. Similarly, permafrost temperatures have increased across most regions, although the amount varies, since the 1980s. 4. Sea level rise has happened, and will happen in the future, as a result of global warming, the report finds. On average, sea level has risen 7.5 inches (0.19 meters) since 1901, and will rise higher with “virtual certainty” in this century. Barring a collapse of Antarctic ice sheets, sea level rise is not likely to exceed 3.22 feet (0.98 meters) by 2100, the report says. 5. More than half of the global warming observed since 1950 has a human cause, largely from the greenhouse gas effects of gases such as carbon dioxide emitted from burning fossil fuels. All of the effects seen in the report look “virtually certain” to continue in the future as long as emissions continue. Tonight Working Group 2 will report on the impacts of climate change and how people might adapt to them. A leaked draft of the report doesnt bode well for us. Heres more: news.nationalgeographic/news/2014/03/140329-ipcc-report-global-warming-climate-change-science/
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 22:32:30 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015