The Earth’s temperature could be reaching its highest level in a million years, according to Nasa scientists. Comparison of current temperature with historical estimates showed the current temperature was now within 1C of the maximum temperature of the past million years. The scientists said that in the 30 years to the end of 2005, temperatures increased at the rate of 0.2 degrees per decade, a rate they described as “remarkably rapid”.
Dr James Hansen, who led the study, said further global warming of just 1C could lead to big changes to the planet. “If warming is kept less than that, effects of global warming may be relatively manageable,” he said. “But if further global warming reaches two or three degrees celsius, we will likely see changes that make Earth a different planet [to] the one we know.
He added that: “the last time it was that warm was in the middle Pliocene, about 3m years ago, when sea level was estimated to have been about 25 meters (80 feet) higher than today.”
What was the awful Kevin Costner film called? Waterworld. Well it was meant to be set in the future.. but for how much longer…