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Sunday, January 05, 2014

What's Up With That?




Solution to Cloud Riddle Reveals Hotter Future: Global Temperatures to Rise at Least 4 Degrees C by 2100
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131231094442.htm
Dec. 31, 2013 — Global average temperatures will rise at least 4°C by 2100 and potentially more than 8°C by 2200 if carbon dioxide emissions are not reduced according to new research published in Nature. Scientists found global climate is more sensitive to carbon dioxide than most previous estimates.

The research also appears to solve one of the great unknowns of climate sensitivity, the role of cloud formation and whether this will have a positive or negative effect on global warming.

"Our research has shown climate models indicating a low temperature response to a doubling of carbon dioxide from pre-industrial times are not reproducing the correct processes that lead to cloud formation," said lead author from the University of New South Wales' Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science Prof Steven Sherwood.

"When the processes are correct in the climate models the level of climate sensitivity is far higher. Previously, estimates of the sensitivity of global temperature to a doubling of carbon dioxide ranged from 1.5°C to 5°C. This new research takes away the lower end of climate sensitivity estimates, meaning that global average temperatures will increase by 3°C to 5°C with a doubling of carbon dioxide." ...
This is one of those moments.
Do we say , "Told ya!", or do we run for the hills, and let the devil take the hindmost?

I seem to recall reading that 4 degrees Centigrade will radically change life as we know, and right quick-like.
4 degrees seem to be the point at which we dusted off terms like "catastrophic", and "extinction events".

Now that that seems to be the road we have chosen, perhaps scientists no longer deem it necessary to introject those negative avoidance words to try and deter our folly.

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