IPCC Summary
- here are some sites that summarize the summary:
- http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/science/ipcc-highlights1.html
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6321351.stm http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ news/2007/02/070202-global-warming.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPCC_Fourth_Assessment_Report
- and here are a few of the major findings as listed on the National Geographic site:
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Global temperatures will increase between 2 and 11.5 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 and 6.4 degrees Celsius) by the end of this century over pre-industrial levels.
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A best-guess temperature rise is between 3.2 and 7.1 degrees Fahrenheit (1.8 and 4 degrees Celsius), though the high end remains possible.
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Sea levels are projected to rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 and 59 centimeters) by the end of the century.
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If recent melting in Greenland and Antarctica continues, sea levels could rise an additional 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters).
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Temperatures and sea levels will continue to rise for centuries even if greenhouse gas emissions are stabilized today.
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Eleven of the last 12 years rank among the 12 warmest years in the instrumental record, which stretches back to 1850.
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Observational evidence suggests an increase in hurricane strength in the North Atlantic since 1970 that correlates with an increase in sea surface temperatures.
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In some projections, Arctic sea ice will disappear in the late summer by the later part of this century.
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It is very likely that hot extremes, heat waves, and heavy rains will continue to become more frequent.• The Gulf Stream, which brings warm waters to the North Atlantic, may slow but is unlikely to shut down as depicted in the Hollywood disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow.
