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Features
The road to Rio: Twenty years on
During the Industrial Revolution scientists began to question what how burning of coal would effect our atmosphere.
Richard Angwin Last Modified: 19 Jun 2012 11:22 GMT
Is a human 'population bomb' ticking?
Scientists warn that overpopulation and consumption could lead to a forbidding future.
Robert Kennedy Last Modified: 20 Jun 2012 11:51 GMT
Scientists and experts are alarmed at amount of plastic debris and growing 'dead zones' in the world's oceans.
Dahr Jamail Last Modified: 18 Jun 2012 11:09 GMT
It’s shortly after 6am, and the first rays of sun are trying to burn through the patchy gray cloud cover over the Amazon river. It’s already warm and sticky, but the breeze off the river is fresh and cooling.
But there is a slight problem. “The engine is a little hot, we need to stop so we
Gabriel Elizondo Last Modified: 19 Jun 2012 15:28 GMT
Climate change induced extreme weather events and shifting weather patterns are challenging farmer's ability to feed us.
Dahr Jamail Last Modified: 04 Jul 2011 15:18 GMT
Opinion
South America's biggest country needs a major overhaul of its transportation and energy systems.
Gregory Michener Last Modified: 19 Jun 2012 15:34 GMT
The treaties signed at the first Rio summit failed - and it's up to our generation to make amends, says economist.
Jeffrey Sachs Last Modified: 19 Jun 2012 13:16 GMT
Rio+20: A green industrial revolution or climate change diplomacy?
Diplomats at climate change talks this week appear unlikely to draft a workable legal document on CO2 reduction.
Hilal Elver Last Modified: 28 May 2012 12:52 GMT
What can we expect from Rio+20?
We should engage in a global dialogue to envision the future we want - and devise an adaptive strategy to get us there.
Robert Costanza Last Modified: 14 Apr 2012 20:34 GMT
Rio+20: Let's prioritise social sustainability
Greater policy attention is needed in directing emerging models for a green economy.
Leisa Perch Last Modified: 21 May 2012 20:11 GMT
FOOD INSURANCE: Prepare for hyperinflation, famine, economic collapse, riots, martial law, etc., with emergency food supply, 20 year shelf life.
What is sustainability?
Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (Source: Rio+20 conference website)
What is climate change?
A change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. (Source: IPCC)
Since the early 20th century, the Earth's average surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C, with about two thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. Scientists are more than 90 per cent certain that this warming is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
Climate model projections from the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is the most recent of the agencies reports, indicate that during the 21st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1C for their lowest emissions scenario and 6.4 °C for their highest.
Many scientists believe an even higher scenario is possible. These findings are recognised by the national science academies of all major industrialised nations.
Climate Change Impacts:
Increasing global temperature will affect every area of the planet. The most pronounced changes are happening at the poles, where retreating glaciers and loss of sea ice and permafrost are accelerating.
Sea levels are rising, and estimates range from a 1m to 6m increase by the end of this century. Expansion of subtropical deserts is already occurring, along with an increases in both frequency and intensity of extreme weather events that include heat waves, droughts, and heavy rainfall.
Many scientists conclude that if the global mean temperature rises 4C above preindustrial levels, human adaptation limits in much of the world will be exceeded, as will natural systems ability to adapt.
Solutions:
Most countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), whose goal is to prevent dangerous anthropogenic climate change.
Parties to the UNFCCC have agreed that deep cuts in emissions are required, and that future global warming should be limited to 2C below the pre-industrial level.
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