EES 0836 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Sea Level Rise, Elizabeth Kolbert, Polar Ice Cap
3 Apr 2016
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Lecture - 14: from 1992 ipcc report (a rather conservative body): Because natural sources and sinks of greenhouse gases are sensitive to a change in climate, they may substantially modify future concentrations [of greenhouse gases]. It appears likely that, as climate warms, these feedbacks will lead to an overall increase rather than a decrease in natural greenhouse gas abundances. Emphasis is on consensus view of the most solid facts/data. As a result, the conclusions are very conservative: have worked on four major assessments. Third assessment in 2001; fourth in 2007; fifth in final preparation. This is under scenario that we stop fossil fuels tomorrow (not going to. Goodbye to much of bangladesh, much of the nile valley, louisiana: doesn"t stop there: it won"t stabilize until maybe 2300, by which time the rise could be several meters. Doing so would impact our blessed way of life .
