The Houston Chronicle explains in clear terms the conclusions of the widely awaited report from The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. That the home town newspaper of the center of the oil business in the US is saying this is significant indeed.
The world’s leading climate scientists said global warming has begun, is “very likely” caused by man, and will be unstoppable for centuries, according to a report obtained Friday by The Associated Press.
The scientists â┚¬â€ using their strongest language yet on the issue â┚¬â€ said now that world has begun to warm, hotter temperatures and rises in sea level “would continue for centuries” no matter how much humans control their pollution. The report also linked the warming to the recent increase in stronger hurricanes.
The phrase “very likely” translates to a more than 90 percent certainty that global warming is caused by man’s burning of fossil fuels. That was the strongest conclusion to date, making it nearly impossible to say natural forces are to blame.
This report, six years in the making, is the combined work of 2500 scientists from 130 countries and can be considered authoritative.
PS A ExxonMobil-funded thinktank offered scientists $10,000 each to ‘dispute’ the study, the Guardian is reporting.