IPCC Fourth Assessment Report

The fourth major report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) collects and critically examines and evaluates the most recent research on the causes and consequences of climate change. The report projects that if business continues as usual, and no further action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions take place, the global average surface temperature is most likely to rise by a further 1.8-4.0°C already in this century. In the worst case scenario the rise will be by up to 6.4°C. Even the lower end of this range would increase the temperature far beyond the threshold of 2°C, which the IPCC has said most likely will cause irreversible and possibly catastrophic changes. The report is widely believed to have had a huge impact on the public and political climate agenda. It was published in 2007