UN: climate change will have 'abrupt and irreversible' consequences

UN: climate change will have 'abrupt and irreversible' consequences
Polar Bears in Alaska, USA


(EPA PHOTO/GREENPEACE)
Polar bears in Alaska in September this year. UN experts claim that climate change is causing retreating glaciers as well as thinning Arctic summer sea ice


A panel of the United Nations' leading scientists is to warn that climate change could have "abrupt and irreversible" consequences, in a landmark document designed to force action from member states on the issue.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is seen as one of the most influential documents produced on the global warming issue to date, with the goal of forcing some of the world's biggest polluters to curb their emissions.

The Times has learnt that IPCC delegates – made up of some of the world's most eminent scientists – agreed on a text this morning after all-night negotiations in Spain, in which it was decided that tough wording would be needed.

As a result, the text of the draft report, which is due to be officially released tomorrow by Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, will caution that human activity could lead to "abrupt and irreversible" changes in our climate unless action is taken.

The report will summarise the main points from three huge documents issued this year covering the evidence for climate change; the present and possible future impacts of it; and the options for tackling the peril.

After the release of their report, scientists hope that UN member states will come up with a "roadmap" to cut carbon emissions at a summit in Bali next month.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2883094.ece

polluted point on the planet, and invite Shrub ,and have him drink lots of water.

locals surely don't drink it.

How bad is it really, and how quickly is it going to get worse?

You know damn well they don't want to panic the public so they are going to water it down . Also who knows what these scientists really know , they can measure certain things however it's a huge planet with deep oceans where information is at best a best guess .

serious than that subject, and it's a UN study, not a US study. Not that one I wouldn't trust.

from the US to in fact water down the report, and that it has been modified repeatedly from its original draft primarily because of that pressure. What level of political shennanigans have gone into the published version of this report is a topic of considerable controversy:

http://www.google.com/search?q=IPCC+report++political+pressure&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GGLD

The opinions range from 'none, it's straight up', to 'out of date compromised political bullshit'. Yes it is a UN study, but we are arrogant international thugs who have routinely bullied the UN into staying in line in the past.

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