UN Climate Report Warns About Unprecedented Sea-Level Rise

The United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a new report on September 25, 2019 warning about the dire repercussions of climate change. The Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate calls for urgent and coordinated action to deal with “unprecedented and enduring changes” in the ocean and cryosphere, defined as the frozen parts of the planet. More than 100 scientists from 36 countries contributed to this report. They assessed the physical science basis and impacts of climate change on ocean, coastal, polar and mountain ecosystems, and the human communities that depend on them. They also evaluated the vulnerabilities and adaptation capacities of these ecosystems. “The world’s ocean and cryosphere have been ‘taking the heat’ from climate change for decades, and consequences for nature and humanity are sweeping and severe,” said Ko Barrett, Vice-Chair of the IPCC. “The rapid changes to the ocean and the frozen parts of our planet are forcing people from coastal cities to remote Arctic communities to fundamentally alter their ways of life,” she added. “By understanding the causes of these changes and the resulting impacts, and by evaluating options that are available, we can strengthen our ability to adapt.” According to the report, if greenhouse gas emissions continue unchecked, global sea level would likely rise by one meter by the year 2100. “T...
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