Climate Institute Report Available
Climate Institute Report: Evidence of Accelerated Climate Change
The Climate Institute commisioned CASPI (Roger Bodman & Prof Jim Falk) to write a brief report on recent evidence of climate change, particularly focussing on new information published since the material used in the last IPCC report. The report was reviewed by Dr Barrie Pittock and Dr Graeme Pearman. It shows that science emerging since that considered by the IPCC demonstrates temperatures and greenhouse pollution are rising faster than that indicated by most of the projections.
The global temperature warming trend is accelerating faster than expected. If continued such a trend will lead to a temperature rise of approximately 3oC by the end of this century (relative to pre-industrial temperatures).
Carbon dioxide emissions growth is accelerating. The growth rate is increasing from 1.1% per year for 1990-1999 to over 3% per year for 2000-2004. This recent high growth rate exceeds that in the most fossil fuel intensive emissions scenarios used by the IPCC.
The recent rapid decreases in Arctic sea ice extent are occurring much faster than any of the climate model projections suggest would happen. The recent summer minimum is approximately 30 years ahead of a range of simulation model forecasts. On the basis of current trends, an ice free Arctic Ocean might occur much earlier than 2050 – 2100 as previously thought.
The full report is available for download from the Climate Institute: Evidence of Accelerated Climate Change