Scientists Forecast Dramatic Temperature Increase

Pessimism has emerged from the UN Climate Conference in Doha, Qatar. Governments are failing to take realistic steps to combat global warming, despite rising costs associated with extreme weather and rising tidal waters. And researchers are reporting that goals to limit the average increase in Earth’s temperature to 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, are unrealistic. Instead, current activities could increase Earth’s temperatures by as much as 5 degrees Celsius, with devastating effects, reports Christoph Seidler for Spiegel Online. The effects of releasing huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere will linger for decades. Convincing humans to change behavior for results that won’t be seen for decades is proving to be a challenge. Europe has decreased carbon emissions, but emissions from emerging economies are rapidly climbing. China is the biggest emitter at 28 percent and the US follows at 16 percent, according to one research study. Nations are negotiating emissions rates that exceed the 2-degree rise, promising melting polar caps and other devastating consequences. – YaleGlobal