More rapid response to global warming urged

MANILA, Philippines - Changes in the atmosphere, the oceans and glaciers and ice caps now show unequivocally that the world is warming due to human activities, according to a report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon cited the “scientific consensus regarding the quickening and threatening pace of human-induced climate change” and called for global response “to move much more rapidly as well, and with more determination.”

Ban said the study and expected follow-up IPCC reports “will be critical guides for the UN’s response to anthropogenic climate change,” and will support action by those concerned globally, nationally and locally.

The IPCC, which brings together the world’s leading climate scientists and experts, concluded that major advances in climate modeling and the collection and analysis of data now give scientists “very high confidence” — at least a nine out of 10 chance of being correct — in their understanding of how human activities are causing the world to warm.

The report also confirms that it is “very likely” that humanity’s emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gases have caused most of the global temperature rise observed since the mid-20th century.

It added that it is likely that the effect of human activities since 1750 is five times greater than the effect of fluctuations in the sun’s output.

The report, based on a thorough review of the most up-to-date and peer-reviewed scientific literature available worldwide, said records from ice cores, going back 10,000 years, show a dramatic rise in greenhouse gases from the onset of the industrial era.