Source: Xinhua

04-15-2009 10:50

WASHINGTON, April 14 (Xinhua) -- The threat of global warming can still be greatly diminished if nations cut emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases by 70 percent this century, according to a new analysis. While global temperatures would rise, the most dangerous potential aspects of climate change, including massive losses of Arctic sea ice and permafrost and significant sea level rise, could be partially avoided.

Study: Cuts in greenhouse gas emissions would save Arctic ice, reduce sea level rise(File photo)

The study, led by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), will be published next week in Geophysical Research Letters. It was funded by the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation, NCAR's sponsor.

"This research indicates that we can no longer avoid significant warming during this century," says NCAR scientist Warren Washington, the lead author. "But if the world were to implement this level of emission cuts, we could stabilize the threat of climate change and avoid catastrophe."

Average global temperatures have warmed by close to 1 degree Celsius (almost 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) since the preindustrial era. Much of the warming is due to human-produced emissions of greenhouse gases, predominantly carbon dioxide. This heat-trapping gas has increased from a preindustrial level of about 284 parts per million (ppm) in the atmosphere to more than 380 ppm today.

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