Of all the "pro-life" issues we face, human-made climate change and its consequences should be at the top of our list. A planet increasingly hostile to human life does not render celebration of God's gifts. It could well lead to a dreadful ending of human life on the planet as ecosystems run out of balance.
The world's getting hotter, the sea's rising and there's increasing evidence neither are naturally occurring phenomena.
So says a report from the U.N. International Panel on Climate Change, a document released every six years that is considered the benchmark on the topic. More than 800 authors and 50 editors from dozens of countries took part in its creation.
The summary for policymakers was released early Friday while the full report, which bills itself as "a comprehensive assessment of the physical science basis of climate change," will be distributed Monday.
Principle findings:
- Man-made climate change is almost certain
- Climate change is already affecting extreme weather
- The last 30-year period is "very likely" the warmest in the last 800 years
- Sea level rise will increase due to warming oceans and loss of ice
- Even if we end emission tomorrow, climate change could continue for centuries
