Climate Change Quicker Than Expected

An increasingly large amount of peer-reviewed research, published since the last IPCC Assessment Report in 2007, proves that global warming is occurring right now, and that it is faster than suggested just 2 years ago.

The evidence for this statement comes from many areas. The most important ecosystems showing change include:

-Multiple ecosystems, in widespread locations, now show the effects of climate change. Examples include the timing of plant flowering, animal breeding, and lake thawing.

-Elevated sea surface temperatures in Pacific & Atlantic hurricane-formation areas which will lead to stronger hurricanes are significantly related to anthropogenic warming.

-Ocean acidification is occurring quickly, due to carbon dioxide in massive amounts dissolving in sea water. This is going to have major changes on ocean ecosystems and as a result of food security for most nations.

-Projected sea-level elevation over the next 100 years will be higher than that calculated in 2007. It is expected to increase at least a metre, according to newly released research.

-The accelerated melting of the ice sheet in Greenland which started in the summer of 2004 has been definitely related to global warming.

-The West Antarctic Ice Shelf has undergone accelerated melting during the last 10 years and has undergone ten major ice shelf collapses during that time.

-Sea-ice in the Arctic is disappearing much faster than previously estimated, and it is likely that this area will be free of ice in summer within a few decades.

-The rate of thawing of the northern permafrost is thawing much faster than initially estimated, and is releasing a lot more GHG than predicted.

The global warming that is now occurring is expected to extend for many centuries even after all human-released greenhouse gas escape ceases. This is due to the significant inertia that exists in the climate as well as the slow removal of carbon dioxide from within the atmosphere (as around 25% remains for greater than 5000 years).

Summary
It remains to be seen whether we will unite as one to avoid the main effects of global warming before we pass an important threshold that will start runaway global warming.

Paul Roth is a health professional and blogger concerned about human-caused global warming and climate change. Visit his blog Climate Change Health to learn more about climate change and its effects on human health.