Turn Down The Heat

This post's title is lifted directly from a report by the World Bank - more fully "Turn Down The Heat: Why a 4degC Warmer World Must Be Avoided". This report warns that there's a 20% chance that global temperatures could reach 4degC above pre-industrial levels by 2100 under current mitigation commitment and pledges. This is less scary than PriceWaterhouseCooper's 6degC warning (I somehow I have difficulty taking climate change predictions from a bunch of accountants seriously) but sobering none-the-less.

Now many people will look at 2100 and say "Well I'll not be around by then, so what". That's true; and perhaps even our children won't be. However, think about the trajectory - our kid's are very likely to be here in 2050 (even I might just be). If the gloomy predictions are proved correct then there will already be significant changes taking place. We look out for our kids in their early life, should we not be doing the same for their future?