2015 temperatures ‘to hit 1C above pre-industrial levels’

The United Kingdom’s Met Office announced on Tuesday (AEDT time) that global mean temperatures have reached one degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

“The global stakes of climate change are crystal clear with sea level rise”, said Dr. Benjamin Strauss vice president for climate impacts at Climate Central and lead author of the report.

Global mean temperatures at the Earth’s surface is set to exceed pre-industrial levels by one degree centigrade (C) for the first time, according to UK Met Office data.

However, he said that as the world continues to warm, scientists expect to see more years passing the 1 degree marker until it becomes the norm.

The commitments could reduce the impacts of heatwaves and flooding on millions of people each year, compared to a “business as usual” scenario of rising greenhouse gas emissions which could see temperatures soar to 5.2C above pre-industrial levels by 2100.

The slew of fresh planetary warnings came as ministers gathered in Paris to search for common ground on divisive issues ahead of the summit, which runs from November 30 to December 11.

This year’s El Nino, characterized by unusually warm temperatures in the equatorial pacific, helped push temperature levels to the new record.

Commenting on the report, Mohamed Adow, the co-chair of CAN worldwide said: “Climate change poses particular risks to developing countries, particularly the least developed countries, small island states and African countries”.

Nickolay Lamm’s depiction of Rio de Janeiro shows the effects of a 4 degrees Celsius rise in global temperature.

“This means we are now really in uncharted territory for the human race”, he warned.

Similarly a mapping system which American organisation Climate Central released showed images of major world landmarks, including Sydney Harbour, after sea levels had risen.

The report, “Shock Waves: Managing the Impacts of Climate Change on Poverty”, adds urgency to the need for ambitious and durable climate agreement in Paris that addresses the needs of poor and vulnerable communities as they build low-carbon, climate-resilient economies.

“They have no other financial activities or resources which can enable them to adapt to climate change or face natural disasters, and their access to social services and protection is very limited.”

The report claimed that ending poverty and fighting climate change could be be more effectively achieved if addressed together.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said senior officials from 70 countries have agreed on the principle of a mechanism to reassess the countries’ emission pledges every five years in order to improve them.