- In the last century, the global average surface temperature has risen by 0.3-0.6 degrees C.
- 1998 has proved to be Britain's hottest year in the last thousand years.
- Although many people claim that the global weather system is very complex and not completely understood, scientists say that a rapid change in temperature is certain to have severe implications on future weather and climate patterns.
- Climate researchers predict that the Earth's average temperature will continue to increase in the next hundred years.
- If we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the average world temperature in 2100 has the potential to be 1 degree C warmer than in 1990, which would be such a great improvement.
- However, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase and the climate proves as sensitive as predicted, the rise could be 3.5 degrees C.
- Scientists believe that rainforests damaged as a result of climate change will start emitting carbon themselves, making the problem even worse!
- In the last century, global sea levels have risen by 10-25 cms. This is a result of melting glaciers, and the expansion of warming sea water.
- Sea levels have the potential to rise 15-95 cms by 2100, flooding many areas of land permanently.
- Sea levels will continue rising for 500 years, because the oceans have only just begun to warm up.
- Researchers say that the rate of change over the last 2-3 centuries will have been greater than at any other time in the last 10,000 years.
websites used: http://news.bbc.co.uk
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