Ready — or Not. Abrupt Climate Changes Worry Scientists Most

richard-atc1_wide-b0d5489f15abe745c1fc2e355e31954f6556a1fd.jpg

Puddled meltwater very likely primed this ancient edge of the Antarctic's Larsen Ice Shelf to rapidly disintegrate over just several weeks. This view of the splintered mix of frozen bergs is from a Feb. 21, 2002, satellite image. Photo courtesy of KQED News

By Richard Harris, KQED News

An expert panel at the National Academy of Sciences is calling for an early warning system to alert us to abrupt and potentially catastrophic events triggered by climate change.

The committee says science can anticipate some major changes to the Earth that could affect everything from agriculture to sea level. But we aren’t doing enough to look for those changes and anticipate their impacts.

And this is not a matter for some distant future. The Earth is already experiencing both gradual and abrupt climate change. The air is warming up slowly, and we’re also seeing rapid changes such as the melting Arctic ice cap.

Read the complete story at KQED News.

For further information on how California is addressing the issue of climate change, read San Francisco Publie Press’ 2013 special report: California’s Cap-and-Trade Experiment.

Don't miss out on our newest articles, episodes and events!
Sign up for our newsletter