Facts about Climate Change
- Scientific evidence shows that climate change is already happening and that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is caused by human activity.
- Global temperatures are expected to rise by 1.4 - 5.8° Celsius by 2100. Global temperatures have already risen by 0.6° C above pre-industrial temperatures2
- Global sea- levels are expected to rise by 0.09 - 0.88 m by the year 2100 3.
- The island nations of the Pacific are amongst the lowest emitters of climate changing gases (and account for less than 1% of global change changing gases) but are amongst the most vulnerable to the potential adverse impacts of climate change and sealevel rise . Many Pacific Islands are already experiencing climate change related impacts
- Pacific Island countries lack resources needed to address the impacts of climate change. Their capacity to adapt to climate change is also hindered by low levels of awareness of climate change issues.
1,2,3 & 4 from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001.