CLIMATE CHANGE IS WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT

NEW SCIENTIST

CLIMATE CHANGE IS EVEN WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT

(Image: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty) 

Five years ago, the last report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change painted a gloomy picture of our planet’s future. As climate scientists gather evidence for the next report, due in 2014, Michael Le Page gives seven reasons why things are looking even grimmer

ARCTIC WARMING

The thick sea ice in the Arctic Ocean was not expected to melt until the end of the century. If current trends continue, summer ice could be gone in a decade or two
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EXTREME WEATHER

We knew global warming was going to make the weather more extreme. But it's becoming even more extreme than anyone predicted
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FOOD PRODUCTION

Global warming was expected to boost food production. Instead, food prices are soaring as the effects of extreme weather kick in
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SEA LEVEL

Greenland's rapid loss of ice mean we're in for a rise of at least 1 metre by 2100, and possibly much more
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PLANETARY FEEDBACKS

The planet currently absorbs half our CO₂emissions. All the signs are it won't for much longer
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HUMAN EMISSIONS

If we stopped emitting CO₂ tomorrow, we might be able to avoid climate disaster. In fact we are still increasing emissions
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HEAT STRESS

If the worst climate predictions are realised, vast swathes of the globe could become too hot for humans to survive
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