Avoiding dangerous climate change

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How much climate change can we take? - Defra launches new book, January 30 2006

Statistics suggest that 2005 is the second warmest year on record. The Arctic sea ice shrank to its lowest extent last summer and devastating hurricanes show how sensitive even developed societies are to extreme weather. Temperatures are expected to continue to rise and extreme events are likely to become more frequent with climate change. But how much climate change can we take? How can we avoid levels which can be considered dangerous?

The 'Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change' book, launched by Defra - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - on January 30 2006, builds on the scientific findings presented at the 'Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change' conference, which took place at the Met Office, Exeter in February 2005 at the start of the UK's G8 Presidency.

The book gives an account of the most recent developments on the science of climate change, explores how much climate change is too much and how can we avoid it. It examines the consequences of different levels of climate change in terms of impacts for different regions, as well as the world as a whole. And it considers technological options that can be deployed to achieve different levels of climate change as the world moves to a lower carbon economy.

An executive summary, and the book itself, are available  via the Defra website

Reference
 * Defra News release, 30 January 2006