The old cliché a picture speaks a thousand words was never more graphically demonstrated than by a recent map produced by the British Met Office which illustrates the global consequences of failing to keep temperature change to under 2° Celsius. Increases of more than 2° will have huge impacts on the world.

The impacts on human activity shown on the interactive map are just a selection of those that may occur, and highlight the severe effects on water availability, agricultural productivity, extreme temperatures and drought, the risk of forest fire and sea-level rise.

The Met Office believes that if emissions continue at the current rate the global average temperature is likely to rise by 4° by the end of the century or earlier.

Action is needed now, and it’s very good news to hear that President Obama is coming to the Copenhagen conference on climate change next month with a commitment that the United States intends to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 17% below 2005 levels by 2020, and 83% by 2050.

But the rest of the world must also join in, so have a look at the consequences of failing to keep the temperature change to under 2°.

Click here to see the Met Office graphic illustration.

November 26th 2009