Michael McCarthy, The Independent 22 Oct 09;
A nightmare in the not-very-distant future: the map below shows the enormous temperature rises which British scientists believe the planet may be experiencing in as a little as 50 years from now if global warming remains unchecked.
Released by the Government today, it illustrates a rise in global average temperature of four degrees Centigrade by 2060, and as such represents a dramatic acceleration of previous forecasts made as recently as 2007 by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The point of the map, launched by the Foreign Secretary David Miliband and the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, his brother Ed, is to show that a four-degree average temperature rise over the whole globe (which takes into account the seas as well as the land surface) equates to very much greater rises over the land alone, especially at higher latitudes – as one goes north or south towards the poles. The darker the colour, the higher the heat increase.
Thus, although Britain may see an average rise of three degrees – which itself would have very damaging consequences in terms of drought and extreme heatwaves – Siberia and northern Canada may experience an immense rise of 12 degrees or even more. Scientists believe this may trigger a climate “tipping point” – the melting of the permafrost under the northern tundras which, if it happened, would release large amounts of trapped methane gas, which in turn would boost global warming yet further.
Over the Arctic Ocean in the far north, the rise might be a colossal 15 or even 16 degrees, which would mean the complete disappearance of all the Arctic ice in summer and spell extinction for ice-dependent wildlife such as polar bears and walruses.
But wildlife is the least of it. The map shows rises of five degrees in Asia, seven degrees in Africa and parts of the US and eight degrees in the Amazon rainforest, all of which will have devastating consequences for some of the world’s poorest people. Rises like this are likely to lead to maize and wheat yields falling by 40 per cent across the world, and rice yields in China, India, Banglasdesh and Indonesia falling by 30 per cent – all at a time when world population is expected to grow from 6.9 billion today to more than 9 billion people.
Water resources are likely to be severely affected by a 70 per cent reduction in run-off around the Mediterranean, southern Africa and large areas of South America, forest fires are likely to be much more dangerous everywhere and warming-induced sea-level rise will affect millions more people in low-lying nations such as Bangladesh.
The IPCC’s latest forecast, issued in 2007, suggested an average rise of 1.8 to four degrees by 2100, but recently Hadley Centre scientists have revised both the extent and the timescale, suggesting that if global warming remains unchecked, a four-degree rise is now possible as early as 2060 – very much in the lifetime of people born today. This is because emissions of carbon dioxide are rising around the world far faster than was anticipated even a few years ago.
In essence, the map represents what researchers now think likely to happen if emissions are not controlled by the world community, which is meeting at Copenhagen in December to try to construct a new global climate treaty.
Speaking at the Science Museum, where the map was launched, the Foreign Secretary warned of a “high pressure” future of water and food shortages, mass migration and conflict if the world failed to tackle the problem. “The reason for publishing this map is that for many people, not only in our own country but around the world, the penny hasn’t yet dropped that this climate change challenge is real, it's happening now,” David Miliband said. The effects were not in “some far flung future” but 4C rises could happen in his children’s lifetime, he said, adding: “And the penny hasn’t dropped that Copenhagen is the chance to address the challenge – on a global scale.”
'Day after tomorrow' map shows consequences of climate change
Britain faces rising sea levels, floods and drought unless more is done to stop global warming, according to a new map produced by the Government.
Louise Gray, The Telegraph 22 Oct 09;
The apocalyptic map was launched by Government ministers at the opening of a new exhibition at the Science Museum.
'Prove it – everything you need to know to believe in climate change' is aimed at educating the public about the dangers of uncontrollable global warming.
The 'Day After Tomorrow' map shows what the world will look like if temperatures rise beyond four degrees C (7 degrees F). It was produced by the Met Office, that predicts temperature rises may reach the dangerous tipping point by 2060 unless more is done to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The map is designed to get the public behind a global deal on climate change to be agreed in Copenhagen this December. It will also be used by the Foreign Office to persuade other countries to sign up to a deal that will see all major economies forced to cut their emissions.
It shows the threat of global warming around the world. In the UK temperatures could rise above 40 degrees C (104 degrees F) in the summer, droughts will threaten crops in the South East, sea levels rises will affect coastal areas and floods will be commonplace in the winter.
The Government has recently been criticised for "scaremongering" the public in a £6 million advertising campaign that warns man-made climate change will risk the future of our children unless action is taken.
But Ed Miliband, the Environment and Climate Change Secretary, said it would be irresponsible for the Government not to be warning people of the consequences of climate change.
He said the UK had a "historic responsibility" to reduce emissions at home as well as campaign for a global deal and provide money to help poorer countries to adapt.
"From what the scientists are telling us, it would be irresponsible for ministers not to tell people about the dangers of climate change. If Government campaigns can persuade people to make changes in their own lives, become part of the campaign and be more knowledgeable about the problem we will have served our purpose."
David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, said climate change was not just an environmental issue, but a "human emergency" which would affect economics, culture, technology and foreign policy.
He warned of dangers of water shortages, drought and desertification which would reduce the available food for a rising population, increased migration with a further 200 million people on the move and increases in conflict as people fight for scarcer resources - such as water in the Middle East.
"The reason for publishing this map is that for many people, not only in our own country but around the world, the penny hasn't yet dropped that this climate change challenge is real, it's happening now," he said.
John Beddington, the Government's chief scientists, who was at the launch, said the map illustrates the urgency of keeping temperature rise below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) through a global agreement.
"This is disastrous if it happens. We have to meet that two degrees C target, it will not be easy but we have to do it."
The exhibition will include a tonne of coal that represents the "trillionth tonne" of carbon that will push the world into certain global warming if it is released into the atmosphere. The display will be maintained by the museum as a symbol of the success of limiting emissions for future generations or burned as a symbol of defeat if the world goes beyond such a tipping point.
Professor Chris Rapley, Director of the Science Museum, said the museum has a duty to inform the public.
"Climate change is real, driven by humans and potentially threatening – to our food and water supplies, to our health and to world security. We base this on scientific evidence. The underlying issue is the reliance of the modern, globalised world on ever-increasing quantities of energy, produced mainly by burning hydrocarbon-based fuels. The greenhouse gases released accumulate in the atmosphere, setting a limit on how much we can burn – a limit which is much less than the readily accessible reserves – so discipline is required, worldwide," he said.
