Climate Change: 50 Years Past and Possible Futures

A new NASA-funded study used a computer climate model to simulate the last 50 years of climate changes, projects warming over the next 50 years regardless of whether or not nations curb their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions soon. If no emission reductions are made and they continue to increase at the current rate, global temperatures may increase by 1-2° Celsius (1.8°-3.6° Fahrenheit). But if the growth rate of carbon dioxide does not exceed its current rate and if the growth of true air pollutants (things that are harmful to human health) is reversed, temperatures may rise by only 0.75C (1.35F).

"Some continued global warming will occur, probably about 0.5C (0.9F) even if the greenhouse gases in the air do not increase further, but the warming could be much less than the worst case scenarios," said Jim Hansen, lead researcher on the study from GISS. This research was a collaborative effort of 19 institutions, including 7 universities, federal agencies, private industry and other NASA centers.

For more information on the warmer climate change, go to: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/20020820climate50.html