CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon pledges from 147 nations to the Paris climate summit are not enough to stop temperature rise, experts concluded. Pledges by nations to cut carbon emissions will fall far short of those needed to prevent global temperatures rising by more than the crucial 2˚C by the end of the century. This is the stark conclusion of climate experts who have analysed submissions in the run-up to the Paris climate talks later this year.

A rise of 2˚C is considered the most the Earth could tolerate without risking catastrophic changes to food production, sea levels, fishing, wildlife, deserts and water reserves. Even if rises are pegged at 2˚C, scientists say this will still destroy most coral reefs and glaciers and melt significant parts of the Greenland ice cap, bringing major rises in sea levels. “We have had a global temperature rise of almost 1˚C since the industrial revolution and have already seen widespread impacts that have had real consequences for people,” said climate expert Professor Chris Field of Stanford University. “We should therefore be striving to limit warming to as far below 2˚C as possible. However, that will require a level of ambition that we have not yet seen.”

Although the future seems bleak, we continue to burn our fossil fuels, turn the air-con on when it gets hot, waste resources and give token regard to the cries of warning...

This post is part of the Weekend in Black and White meme.