Climate change evidence
Introduction
Climate change is perhaps the greatest environmental challenge facing humanity.
Since 1880 the average global temperature has risen by 0.85°C - about 2/3rd of this increase has occurred since the mid-1970s at a rate of about 0.15-0.20°C per decade.
Seventeen of the world’s 18 hottest years have occurred in the 21st century with 2016 being the hottest yet (+ 0.94°C anomaly). July 2019 was the hottest month on record.
Scientists believe that this rise in temperature will have huge impacts on natural environments and people’s lives. Recent extreme weather events, such as wildfires in Australia and floods in the UK are consistent with changes in climatic systems associated with a warming world.
Changes occurring within the world’s biomes, such as melting permafrost and coral bleaching are further evidence of climate change. Global sea level rise (23cm since 1880s, increasing to a current rate of about 30cm per century), poses a serious threat to ecosystems and settlement in low lying coastal regions.
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