As you perhaps know, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is publishing in 2014 its fifth Assessment Report. If the fourth, published in 2007, was a strong warning against business as usual, the latest one is even more serious.
Today the Working Group II considered ” the vulnerability and exposure of human and natural systems, the observed impacts and future risks of climate change, and the potential for and limits to adaptation. “
The findings are really scary and should – hopefully will – urge our governments towards more drastic and faster action towards greenhouse gases emissions reduction.
Many generalist and specialized websites have published articles on that very matter and provide great recaps of these findings. As RTCC noted in one of its articles on the topic :
Global warming is already curbing gains in crop yields, melting ice and damaging coral reefs, a major UN study found on Monday. (…)
Monday’s report focused on global impacts of rising temperatures, in a report released in Yokohama in Japan after a week-long review by world governments.
Impacts on the world economy still paled in comparison with economic growth, rising populations and advances in technology, the IPCC said.
Nevertheless, serious impacts from climate change were already visible, and these would get worse without cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.
In another article, 350.org offers a brilliant quote from Rajendra K. Pachauri, IPCC,’s chairman :
“Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change.”
To learn out more, please check out the AR5 WGII – that is the second Working Group, Fifth Assessment – summary for policy makers.