Tesco
Turn Down the Heat
Report

Turn Down the Heat

Confronting the New Climate Normal

World Bank Group
World Bank, 2014
Get the Report

Read or listen offline

auto-generated audio
  • 0.5×
  • 0.75×
  • 1×
  • 1.25×
  • 1.5×
  • 1.75×
1×
auto-generated audio

Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Comprehensive
  • Scientific
  • Overview

Recommendation

Compiling and comparing historic climate data on a global level is a huge task, but this extensive World Bank report on climate change – filled with narratives, charts, graphs and tables from expert contributors worldwide – does an admirable job of organizing massive amounts of information. This technical analysis presents various scenarios of how temperature increases – and their impact on resources, land, oceans and populations – could affect three specific regions of the globe: Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia. The study also objectively states that the scientific community must conduct more research to do a better job of quantifying its long-range forecasts. Nonetheless, despite naysayers, this report states that climate change is a scientific reality and an impending crisis. While always politically neutral, getAbstract recommends this timely, sobering study to those looking for solid, reliable information on climate change.

Take-Aways

  • Studies indicate that today’s temperatures, already 0.8ºC [1.4ºF] above preindustrial levels, are on course to be 1.5ºC higher by the middle of this century.
  • If warming continues unabated, the risk of temperatures rising 4ºC above preindustrial levels by 2100 is 40%; the likelihood of temperatures climbing 5ºC by that time is 10%.
  • More precipitation, severe droughts and storms are already occurring.

About the Author

The World Bank provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries.

Comment on this summary or Start Discussion