A new report [PDF] that was released last Friday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reveals that there is at least a 90 percent chance that the burning of fossil fuels was the primary cause of global warming since 1950. The report stated that the world as a whole needs to cut its fossil fuel emissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. This report includes work from more than 2,000 scientists from across the globe and is based on peer-reviewed research.
The report, considered the most authoritative science on the science of global warming, is the fourth to be released by the IPCC since 1990.
"We think people should be taking this very seriously," said J. Drake Hamilton, science policy director of Fresh Energy, the Upper Midwest's leading energy policy organization. "This is rock solid science. People should be very concerned."
For example, some scientists say the final report should reflect that the rate of global warming in coming years is likely to be accelerated over that of previous decades.
Among the findings included in recent drafts are;
- The Arctic Ocean could largely be devoid of sea ice during summer later in the century.
- Europe's Mediterranean shores could become barely habitable in summers, while the Alps could shift from snowy winter destinations to summer havens from the heat.
>li>Growing seasons in temperate regions will expand, while droughts are likely to ravage further the semiarid regions of Africa and southern Asia.
Though this news is significant in itself, Hamilton added that it is also important to note that if certain steps are taken, the worst climate change in history can be prevented.
"In other words, [these changes] are not inevitable," Hamilton said. "I take great hope in that."
Recommendations for reducing energy consumption include replacing old refrigerators with an Energy Star refrigerator, using more energy-efficient household lighting, using public transit, cutting back on waste by making smart purchasing decisions and by recycling whenever possible.
"I hope this report will be a wakeup jolt for people," she said. "The scientists are really clear: It can't wait; it needs our attention today."
"We basically have three choices: mitigation, adaptation and suffering," said John Holdren, the president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and an energy and climate expert at Harvard. "We're going to do some of each. The question is what the mix is going to be. The more mitigation we do, the less adaptation will be required and the less suffering there will be.
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