heatImage source, Yui Mok

Humans are not being taken seriously enough by scientists when it comes to climate change.

If no action is taken, the consequences of more extreme warming are likely to be underestimated.

They say that the world needs to prepare for the possibility of a climate change.

The risk of catastrophic change is being investigated by UN scientists.

The closest attempts to understand or address how climate change could lead to global catastrophe have come from popular science books.

Climate scientists have been studying the effects of warming of 1.5C or 2C above the temperatures seen in 1850.

The studies show that keeping temperatures close to these levels this century will place heavy burdens on global economies, but they don't envision the end of humans.

These lower temperature scenarios have been focused on by researchers.

The Paris climate agreement saw almost every nation on Earth sign up to a deal that aims to keep the rise in global temperatures "well below" 2C this century.

floodsImage source, EPA
Image caption, People flee from flood waters in Pakistan

Governments want their scientists to show exactly what this type of change will mean.

More extreme outcomes of climate change have not been given enough attention.

When it comes to the fate of the planet and species, we should definitely do it because it's sane risk management.

Estimates of the impact of a temperature rise of 3C are under-represented.

The report shows that by 2070 around 2 billion people living in some of the most politically fragile areas of the world will be enduring an average temperature of 29C.

Around 30 million people in the Sahara and Gulf Coast are affected by average annual temperatures of 29C.

Two nuclear powers and seven maximum containment laboratories housing the most dangerous pathogens will be affected by these temperatures by 2070. There is a chance of disastrous effects.

heatImage source, ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS
Image caption, The future impacts of extreme climate change have not been fully explored

It's not just high temperatures that are the problem, it's the compound effects such as food or financial crises, conflicts or disease outbreaks that have the potential for disaster, according to a report.

Potential tipping points, such as methane emissions from melting permafrost or forests that start emitting carbon rather than soaking it up, should be identified.

The authors want the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to make a report on catastrophic climate change.

Even though it might scare people, seriously studying the consequences of worst-case scenarios is important.

They said that carrying out this research would allow scientists to consider emergency options such as climate engineering. The risk analysis for these drastic interventions would be done by researchers. It is possible to inform the public by focusing on the worst-case scenarios.

Understanding plausible but grim scenarios can galvanise both political and civil opinion.

When it came to the identification of the idea of a nuclear winter that helped compel a lot of the public efforts, we saw this.

If we can find similar concrete and clear mechanisms when it comes to thinking about climate change, it will have a similar effect.

Many younger climate activists say they are often not addressed for fear of frightening people into action because of the plea for serious study of more extreme scenarios.

Laura Young, a 25-year-old climate activist, said that it was important to have research into all areas of climate change. Without the full truth, we won't be able to make informed choices, and we won't be driving climate action with enough pressure.

Climate change has been concealed for a long time and this has to stop now. Younger generations will be left to deal with the consequences of years of pushing the Earth to its limits.

The study was published in the national academy of sciences

This report was contributed to by a reporter from the British Broadcasting Corporation.