When Should We Take Action on Climate Change?
Sarah Kuck, 7 Apr 09
Here's a graph from the Hadley Center that makes a clear and strong case for taking climate action now. The graph represents the projected results of four emissions reduction models, in a sort of choose-your-own-adventure way.
I like this graph because it makes the case for immediate action so starkly. So wherever you are, if you are working to make your corner of the world a better place, know that your efforts are worth it.
This is our choice for our future and our legacy. Will we choose to act now to save the Holocene?
Thanks to Joe Romm for bringing this to our attention
The data may be from the Hadley Centre, but the diagram looks very much like it's from the Guardian -- the distinctive graphic style and fonts are the same.
Posted by: Alisdair on 7 Apr 09
To get a sense of what this really means, take a look at this map from New Scientist:
http://www.newscientist.com/articleimages/mg20126971.700/1-how-to-survive-the-coming-century.html
published in "How to survive the coming century", 25 February 2009 (http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126971.700-how-to-survive-the-coming-century.html?full=true).
The article also has an interactive map on surviving climate change.
Posted by: Rich on 7 Apr 09
It would always be useful to provide a link to the original. I can't find this graphic at the Hadley Center and I'd love to have a larger version of it. Could you point me to the original? Thanks for the tip.
Posted by: David Crossley on 8 Apr 09
The graph I picked up was from Joe Romm's blog, Climate Progress: http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/22/an-introduction-to-global-warming-impacts-hell-and-high-water/.
Posted by: Sarah on 8 Apr 09
Unfortunately the odds of the 'Action starts in 2010 would appear to have diminished in the current GFC and the fall-out thereof. My fear is that it will be too late - i.e. we will we have gone past too many tipping points - before drastic action is taken.
Posted by: Nicholas Bernhardt on 13 May 09
Unfortunately the odds of the 'Action starts in 2010' scenario would appear to have diminished due to the current GFC and the fall-out thereof. My fear is that it will be too late - i.e. we will we have gone past too many tipping points - before drastic action is taken.
Posted by: Nicholas Bernhardt on 13 May 09
Please note that comments will remain open for only 14 days after the article is posted. While previous comments will remain visible, attempts to post new comments after this period will fail. This helps stop comment spam, so your forebearance is appreciated.
The Worldchanging comments are meant to be used for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in our posts. Please note that, while constructive disagreement is fine, insults and abuse are not, and will result in the comment being deleted and a likely ban from commenting. We will also delete at will and without warning comments we believe are designed to disrupt a conversation rather than contribute to it. In short, we'll kill troll posts.
Finally, please note that comments which simply repost copyrighted works or commercial messages will be summarily deleted.
