|
The basic mechanics of climate change are well understood; the world is warming, much of the warming is due to human emissions of greenhouse gases, and the changes are set to accelerate in the future, bringing many and varied impacts around the world.
Over the past 140 years the earth's surface temperature (over land and sea) has increased on average by 0.6±0.2o C with the greatest increases occurring the second half of the last century; the 1990s were the warmest years in recorded history. Although this rise in temperature may appear small, it is scientifically significant and does have dramatic impacts on climate, e.g. Northern Europe is predicted to become wetter and the Mediterranean drier.
Since the 1950s scientists have observed the retreat of mountain glaciers, a shrinking of the Artic ice cap as well as a lengthening of the freeze-free season.
Warming increases evaporation and precipitation, and both aggregate rainfall and occurrences of 'heavy precipitation events' at European latitudes - the principal cause of flooding - has also increased in recent decades. There is also evidence that the frequency and intensity of storms is increasing in certain areas.
For further information visit the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change website.
For UK evidence on Climate Change indicators visit the Indicators of Climate Change in the UK website.
For scientific evidence and implications of climate change view our publication - The Climate Change Challenge.
|