Concensus to climate change
Is there consensus in terms of the predictions and projections in relation to climate change?
Introduction
Climate change is a present global phenomenon occurring at an unprecedented rate. The United Nations signified this in their establishment of the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) and their growing concern in the increasing anthropogenic activities emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Predictions and projections of future climate change have both variety and similarities from varying groups such as the IPCC, scientists, sceptics and organisations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the predicted and projected impacts of climate change have caused varied public perceptions across the globe.
Predictions and Projections The IPCC was established in 1988 when the United Nations requested a need for scientific assessments of the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environment and its social-economic consequences. Scientists volunteered as well as experts to write and review assessments on climate change which are then reviewed by representatives of the government. The IPCC have so far produced four reports, with a fifth expected in 2014. They are most commonly known for their projections in climate change, in which they produced a series of scenario- projections to explain climate change for the future. A projection is “a probabilistic statement that it is possible that something will happen in the future if certain conditions develop. In contrast to a prediction, a projection specifically allows for significant changes in the set of ‘boundary conditions’ that might influence the prediction.” (Pielke, 2006) The IPCC projects 4 emission scenarios for future global climate using the latest global climate model from the Hadley centre which takes into consideration; population, economic growth, energy technologies, demographics and international relations (IPCC, 2012). These calculations indicate
Introduction
Climate change is a present global phenomenon occurring at an unprecedented rate. The United Nations signified this in their establishment of the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC) and their growing concern in the increasing anthropogenic activities emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Predictions and projections of future climate change have both variety and similarities from varying groups such as the IPCC, scientists, sceptics and organisations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the predicted and projected impacts of climate change have caused varied public perceptions across the globe.
Predictions and Projections The IPCC was established in 1988 when the United Nations requested a need for scientific assessments of the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environment and its social-economic consequences. Scientists volunteered as well as experts to write and review assessments on climate change which are then reviewed by representatives of the government. The IPCC have so far produced four reports, with a fifth expected in 2014. They are most commonly known for their projections in climate change, in which they produced a series of scenario- projections to explain climate change for the future. A projection is “a probabilistic statement that it is possible that something will happen in the future if certain conditions develop. In contrast to a prediction, a projection specifically allows for significant changes in the set of ‘boundary conditions’ that might influence the prediction.” (Pielke, 2006) The IPCC projects 4 emission scenarios for future global climate using the latest global climate model from the Hadley centre which takes into consideration; population, economic growth, energy technologies, demographics and international relations (IPCC, 2012). These calculations indicate
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