Researchers warn that the earth could be "alien to humankind."
Plan ahead
We worry about the future and climate change. Are hurricanes becoming more severe? and the medium-term (what will the planet look like in 2100?).
However, a few hundred years from now, the world will probably seem completely alien.
According to new climate projections by a team of climate scientists from several Canadian universities, the Amazon could become a deserted landscape and the midwestern United States could become a tropical jungle by 2500. The findings were published in the journal Global Change Biology Friday. This is alarming research, and while it may not be authoritative, it offers a grim look at the long-term consequences of industrialization.
Now what?
Many climate models project environmental change until the year 2100. Therefore, it is logical that we attempt to predict what the future holds, according to The Conversation essay.
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Scientists wrote that this is not surprising, as people born today will be in their 70s by 2100. How will their grandchildren and children see the world?
Scientists noted that looking too far into the future is quite speculative. However, they found that their projections were consistent with established, reliable models for the near future, giving them more credibility.
Desert Planet
Scientists found that as temperatures rise, many parts of the planet will become unhospitable for humans. Moreover, rising sea levels will continue to alter coastlines, leading to dramatic changes in geography and society.
The team also wrote that heat stress can cause death in tropical areas where there is high human population. These areas could become uninhabitable.
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The researchers hope that they are proven wrong. The Conversation essay ended with a plea for drastic reductions in carbon emissions, or they will face the consequences.
They wrote that the Earth of our high-end projections was alien to humanity. We have two choices: reduce emissions and adapt to the warming that we can't escape, or consider living on an Earth different from this one.
READ MORE: Climate projections for 2500 reveal an Earth that is alien [The Conversation]
Additional information on climate projections: UN Declares its Code Red for Humanity In Alarming Climate Change Report
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