The United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its final report this weekend in Valnecia, Spain. It outlines in simple language, the state of planet now, the effects of human activity on the plant and what we can expect in the future.
This report is the culmination of years of research by thousands of scientists from all over the world. At the meeting in Spain, government's from virtually every nation negotiated the final language of the report. In the past, countries with the most to lose, like China and the United States, have been rightly accused of watering down the language of such reports.
Not so with this final report.
The findings are stark and disturbing and the governments of the world, including the United States, have signed on the dotted line, agreeing that this is the reality of global warming now and in the future.
With such an overwhelming body of scientific evidence, agreed to by the world's governments, anyone or any organization attempting to delay, deny, confuse or get in the way of large-scale action at this point would be at the least embarrassing themselves with such a grand scale of delusion and ignorance and the most would be bordering on a crime against humanity.
Here's a breakdown of some of the regional impacts listed the report (go here for a pdf of the full report) that we can expect from our continued unmitigated burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas that are causing the rapid warming of our planet:
Climate change is expected to magnify regional differences in Europe’s natural resources and assets. Negative impacts will include increased risk of inland flash floods, and more frequent coastal flooding and increased erosion (due to storminess and sea-level rise).
Mountainous areas will face glacier retreat, reduced snow cover and winter tourism, and extensive species losses (in ome areas up to 60% under high emissions scenarios by 2080).
By 2020, between 75 and 250 million of people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change.
By 2020, in some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%. Agricultural production, including access to food, in many African countries is projected to be severely compromised. This would further adversely affect food security and exacerbate malnutrition.
Australia and New Zealand
By 2030, water security problems are projected to intensify in southern and eastern Australia and, in New Zealand, in Northland and some eastern regions.
By 2020, significant loss of biodiversity is projected to occur in some ecologically rich sites including the Great Barrier Reef and Queensland Wet Tropics.
Endemic morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoeal disease primarily associated with floods and droughts are expected to rise in East, South and South-East Asia due to projected changes in the hydrological cycle.
By the 2050s, freshwater availability in Central, South, East and South-East Asia, particularly in large river basins, is projected to decrease.
During the course of this century, cities that currently experience heatwaves are expected to be further challenged by n increased number, intensity and duration of heatwaves during the course of the century, with potential for adverse health impacts.
Warming in western mountains is projected to cause decreased snowpack, more winter flooding, and reduced summer flows, exacerbating competition for over-allocated water resources.
There is a risk of significant biodiversity loss through species extinction in many areas of tropical Latin America.
Changes in precipitation patterns and the disappearance of glaciers are projected to significantly affect water availability for human consumption, agriculture and energy generation.
Sea-level rise is expected to exacerbate inundation, storm surge, erosion and other coastal hazards, thus threatening vital infrastructure, settlements and facilities that support the livelihood of island communities.
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