6. Physical Impacts of Warming Widespread
“Warming of the climate
system is unequivocal, as
is now evident from
observations of increases
in global average air and
ocean temperatures,
widespread melting of snow
and ice, and rising of the
global mean sea level.”
(IPCC, 2007)
Changes in temperature, sea
level and northern hemisphere
snow cover [source: IPCC, 2007]
7.
8.
9. “Climate change is a result of
the greatest market failure the
world has seen… We risk
damages on a scale larger
than the two world wars of the
last century.”
– Lord Nicholas Stern
Interviewed on The Guardian, 2007
10. “I got it wrong on climate
change. It’s far, far worse.”
– Lord Nicholas Stern
at the World Economic Forum in Davos, 2013
34. DARE THE WORLD TO SAVE THE PLANET
MARCH 29 8:30PM
earthhour.org
Editor's Notes
Hurrican Sandy, just beforethe US elections, where New York City haditsownlights out
Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change is a 700-page report released for the British government on 30 October 2006The Stern Review's main conclusion is that the benefits of strong, early action on climate change far outweigh the costs of not acting.[3] The Review points to the potential impacts of climate change on water resources, food production, health, and the environment. According to the Review, without action, the overall costs of climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5% of global gross domestic product (GDP) each year, now and forever. Including a wider range of risks and impacts could increase this to 20% of GDP or more, also indefinitely.5-20% GDP per yearcostswithoutactionvs1-2% GDP per yearinvestmentneededThe Review proposes that one percent of global GDP per annum is required to be invested to avoid the worst effects of climate change. In June 2008, Stern increased the estimate for the annual cost of achieving stabilisation between 500 and 550 ppm CO2e to 2% of GDP to account for faster than expected climate change.[5]
