I received a reference from the World Future Society (http://www.wfs.org/) to a new book/report coming soon from National Academies Press entitled "Climate Stabilization Targets: Emissions, Concentrations, and Impacts Over Decades to Millennia." I visited the site and found I could download a pre-publication PDF of the 190 page report detailing the expected impacts of climate change over the next century. It contains a wealth of graphs and charts with predictions of the effects with different scenarios of temperature increase, from 1C to 6C.
The authors of the report are the Committee on Stabilization Targets for Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Concentrations from the National Research Council. Their description reads
"Emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels have ushered in a new epoch where human activities will largely determine the evolution of Earth's climate. Because carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is long lived, it can effectively lock the Earth and future generations into a range of impacts, some of which could become very severe. Emissions reductions decisions made today matter in determining impacts experienced not just over the next few decades, but in the coming centuries and millennia.
"According to Climate Stabilization Targets; Emissions, Concentrations, and Impacts Over Decades to Millenia, important policy decisions can be informed by recent advances in climate science that quantify the relationships between increases in carbon dioxide and global warming, related climate changes, and resulting impacts, such as changes in streamflow, wildfires, crop productivity, extreme hot summers, and sea level rise. One way to inform these choices is to consider the projected climate changes and impacts that would occur if greenhouse gases in the atmosphere were stabilized at a particular concentration level. The book quantifies the outcomes of different stabilization targets for greenhouse gas concentrations using analyses and information drawn from the scientific literature. Although it does not recommend or justify any particular stabilization target, it does provide important scientific insights about the relationships among emissions, greenhouse gas concentrations, temperatures, and impacts.
"Climate Stabilization Targets emphasizes the importance of 21st century choices regarding long-term climate stabilization. It is a useful resource for scientists, educators and policy makers, among others."
I have only glanced through the PDF, mostly looking at their graphical data and reading a few explanatory notes. Since the PDF is free, I suggest you get a copy and keep it on hand. I think you will find a handy resource.
The climate "cat" just keeps growing and we can see more details of the spots on its paws, but society is largely ignoring the problem.
from Sam Penny, aka the Prudent RVer who sells LEDs for RVs and Boats
