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This Is What The World Could Be Like In 100 Years' Time

This Is What The World Could Be Like In 100 Years' Time

If climate change continues unchallenged...

George Pavlou

George Pavlou

Over the past week or so, you might have noticed that it's pretty fucking hot. Sunnies on, clothes off, burn me sun, burn me.

While some will tell you it's just what happens in the summer, others will tell you that global warming is taking effect. Living in Manchester and having three days of sun in a row means I am inclined to agree with the latter.

In fact, 2016 is looking like it's going to be the hottest year since records began, increasing 1.3 degrees above pre-industrial averages.

While that doesn't sound like very much, it actually has catastrophic consequences for the planet we live on and brings the world dangerously close to the 1.5 degree limit set by global warming policy makers.

Gavin Schmidt, a climate scientist and director of NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies, told Business Insider he thinks there is no stopping global warming but we can attempt to slow it down enough to make sure humanity can adapt to the climate changes with as little suffering as possible.

But for huge leaps forward in renewable energy technology, Schmidt set out a pretty damning outlook on the world in 100 years' time...

For starters, he thinks the 1.5 degree limit will be overtaken by 2030. However he does believe we can remain under two degrees above pre-industrial levels.

Assuming we hit those targets, in a century we'll still be around three degrees above where we are now and that is pretty devastating for our planet.

Temperatures deemed 'normal' in specific regions of the world will swing wildly, for one. Last winter the temperature in the Arctic Circle was well above freezing for one day while it was abnormally cold for Florida but it still means the 'normal' temperature for each region was abnormal.

According to Schmidt, if this continues, winters in Greenland could be ice-free by 2050.

Our best case scenario will see oceans rise two or three feet by 2100, displacing around four million people, if not more.


Credit: PA

However, it's not just the oceans rising that is the problem. Oceans absorb a shitload of carbon dioxide, heating them up and making them acidic. This would see, at the current level of global warming, half of all tropical coral reefs threatened.

Summers in tropical areas would see 'extreme-heat' days increase by 50% by 2050. In more temperate regions, 30% of days will be what are currently seen as 'unusual'.

Climate change could also see 40% of land suffer a drought, around double the current amount.

From 2070 and beyond, more extreme weathers and natural disasters are set to occur.

Schmidt says humanity will reach 2100 with a planet 'a little bit warmer than today or a lot warmer than today'.

But as outlined, the difference between 'a little' and 'a lot' are huge.

Words by George Pavlou

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