The long awaited 4th report by UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), compiled by 600 scientists from 40 countries using 14 super-computer models over a three year period, is by many seen as a final warming.

 

Not only does the report kill off the argument that global warming is a 'natural' phenomenon, it also with greater certainty than in previous reports predicts the temperature rises we are likely to encounter in the next 100 years.

 

The report states that global warming is "unequivocally" happening and that there is a 90% chance that it is caused by human activity.

 

By the end of the century, the scientists predict that we will have seen a rise in earth's annual temperature of between 2.4 to 6.4 degrees Celsius.

 

While the 6 degree planet is a worst-case, it is a likely outcome, if we continue to release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at today's rate.

 

 

"We are doing things that have not happened for 650,000 years," said IPCC chair Mr. Rajendra Pachauri.

 

The report also casts doubt about the "safe" level of CO2 of 550 parts per million (PPM), which has been suggested by the UK's scientific advisor Sir. David King. Trying to stabilise CO2 levels at 550 PPM no longer seems a realistic target, as it would trigger significant temperature rises.

 

With the uncertainty surrounding global warming and the cause of it being stated with 90% certainty, there appear little optoon for the sceptics other than to accept the facts and join the international community.

 

"With the release of the IPCC report, there is no longer any place for politicians to hide," said Carbon-info.org's Chairman Flemming Bermann.