20131119_IG

Source: International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWOrZQ3L-c#t=40

Date: 19/11/2013

Event: Climate Change: The State of the Science (data visualization)

Attribution: International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme and Globaia

People:

• Sarah Sherborne: Narrator

[The data visualization summarises and visualizes several of the most significant statements in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) recent Fifth Assessment Report, (Working Group I summary for policymakers, the Physical Science Basis).]

Sarah Sherborne [narrator]: Our planet is vast. It's difficult to comprehend the scale. It's difficult, too, to comprehend the scale of humanity, and the vast changes we've wrought in a lifetime. Population, production and consumption have grown exponentially. Roads, railways, airlines, shipping routes, the digital revolution... We've created a globally interconnected society.

Evidence is mounting, we've entered the Anthropocene. Humanity is altering Earth's life-support system. Carbon dioxide emissions are accelerating. Greenhouse gas levels are unprecedented in human history. The climate system is changing rapidly.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assesses the risks and options for societies. Its latest report states it is extremely likely humans are the dominant cause of warming in the past 60 years. Without deep emissions cuts, it is likely Earth will cross the target of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the target set by international policy. This could happen as early as 2050.

If emissions keep rising at current rates, a 4 degree rise by 2100 is as likely as not. It's very likely heatwaves will occur more often and last longer. The Arctic will warm faster than the global average. It's likely that sea ice will all but vanish in summer, within decades, if high emissions continue. It's very likely that sea level rise will accelerate - cities and coastal areas are vulnerable. In general, wet regions are set to get wetter, dry regions drier. Monsoons are likely to become longer, their footprint likely to grow and downpours likely to intensify. The acidity of the ocean has increased 26% since the start of the Industrial Revolution. The full consequence of all these changes on the Earth's system are unknown.

Humanity's carbon footprint is huge. Societies will need to adapt to climate change. The scale of change depends on decisions made now. Can we remain below 2 degrees? It is possible, but it is up to societies now to decide the future we want. For a likely chance of achieving the 2-degree target, societies can emit another 250 billion tonnes of carbon. We burn about 10 billion tonnes of carbon a year. At current rates, we will use this budget in about 25 years. [Sound of clock ticking.]