At PROCEMS, We are concerned about Climatic Catastrophe!
The earth's climate has changed over the last century and there is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming observed the last 50 years is attributable to human activities.
Many observations indicate that the world's climate has changed during the 20th century:
The average surface temperature has increased by about 0.6°C (1°F). Snow cover and ice extent have decreased. The sea level has risen by 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8"). Some other important changes include precipitation, cloud cover and extreme temperatures. Some important aspects appear NOT to have changed, like Antarctic sea-ice extent or extreme events such as storms, tornadoes, thunder days, or hail events.
- global mean temperature should increase by between 1.4 and 5.8°C (2.5 to 10°F).
- the Northern Hemisphere cover should decrease further, but the Antarctic ice sheet should increase.
- the sea level should rise by between 9 and 88 cm (3.5" to 35").
- other changes should occur, including an increase in some extreme weather events.
Regional changes in climate, particularly increases in temperature, have already affected some physical and biological systems. Both natural and human systems are vulnerable to climate change because of their limited adaptive capacity. This vulnerability varies with geographic location, time, and social, economic and environmental conditions. Some extreme weather events and the damage, hardship, and death they cause are projected to increase with global warming. There is also a potential for large-scale and possibly irreversible impacts which pose risks that have yet to be reliably quantified; their likelihood is probably very low but is expected to increase with the rate, magnitude, and duration of climate change. Man will have to adapt to and cope with the climate change consequences that are not prevented by mitigation. Economic losses can be expected, especially in poorest regions; the higher the warming, the greater the losses. Promoting adaptation, sustainable development and equity can be mutually reinforcing.
Projected changes in climate are expected to have both beneficial and adverse effects on water resources, agriculture, natural ecosystems and human health. But the larger the changes in climate the more the adverse effects should dominate.For instance, some crop and forest productivities could benefit from a small climate change. But for many other natural systems, the adverse effects should be dominant, especially if warming exceeds a few degrees. Human populations are expected to face increasing flooding and heat waves but reduced cold spells. The geographic range for infectious diseases should increase.
Adapted from : Scientific Facts on Climate Change and Global Warming