ICE SHELF COLLAPSE WOULD RAISE GLOBAL SEA LEVELS BY 16 FEET, THREATENING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
Sea Levels
“Since the 1970’s warming ocean waters have melted a significant section of ice in the Amundsen Sea in the Southern Ocean, so much that collapse of a far greater mass of ice may be inevitable. Scientists from NASA and elsewhere, based on a half-dozen studies in the past two years, now believe it may be too late to stop so much Antarctic ice from melting that it would send sea levels rising 16 feet more, inundating regions home to hundreds of millions of people. What may still be possible, however, is for humans to control just when that might happen”
Sea levels to rise 20 feet even if we limit global warming to 2°C
“Even if world manages to limit global warming to 2°C, the target number for current climate negotiations, sea levels may still rise at least 6 meters (20ft) above their current heights, radically reshaping the world’s coastline and affecting millions in the process”
The Guardian, 2015
Historical data shows oceans have risen 20 feet when global temperatures are just 1°C or 2°C higher than average
“Global sea levels have risen at least six meters, or about 20 feet, above present levels on multiple occasions over the past three million years. What is most concerning is that amount of melting was caused by an increase of only 1-2 degrees (Celsius) in global mean temperatures”
Science Daily, 2015
Livestock is responsible for 51% of greenhouse gases
“Livestock and their by-products actually account for at least 32.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year, or 51% of annual worldwide GHG emission”
Worldwatch Institute, 2009
Oceans absorb 93% of anthropogenic heat
“The world’s oceans have been taking up approximately 93% of the additional heat caused by anthropogenic climate change”
World Bank, 2013
Stop producing GHG’S to reduce heat
“The only way to reduce ocean temperatures is to dramatically reign in our emission of greenhouse gases. However, even if we immediately dropped carbon dioxide emissions to zero, the gases we’ve already released would take decades or longer to dissipate”
National Geographic, 2015
