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Description
HUMANITY is faced with a menacing question. What happens if we hit nature's thresholds, the so-called tipping points of the global systems that sustain us? And will we be left with the resources to adapt?
The evidence for global climate change is becoming ever more visible. Nine out of ten of the world's glaciers are in retreat. Arctic sea ice is melting at a rate of about 9 per cent per decade. Ten of the warmest years since the beginning of the 20th century have occurred since 1995; there have been a cluster of ' 100-year' droughts; and hurricanes are becoming more intense.
Disturbing images of polar bears swimming desperately between remnants of sea ice illustrate the impact of climate upheaval on wildlife and ecological systems. Global warming also poses threats to food production.
Early in 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will present its Fourth Assessment Report on the state of the world's climate. This will embody the most comprehensive collective understanding yet of the scientific, technical and socio-economic implications of climate change.
For sheer volume and detail, the report may not be an easy read. The process of writing has been laborious, involving hundreds of lead authors and thousands of contributors and reviewers.... |
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