Burning all the Earth’s remaining fossil fuels could lead to an average temperature increase of about 8 °C across the globe—with an increase of 17 °C in the Arctic—by 2300, say researchers at the University of Victoria.
Using a series of comprehensive Earth system models, researchers simulated long-term warming in response to releasing five trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions—roughly the equivalent of the remaining fossil fuel resources on Earth. In an accompanying News & Views article, environmental physicist Thomas Frölicher says the results of the study imply “that the unregulated exploitation of fossil fuel resources could result in significant, more profound climate change.”
Authors:
Katarzyna B. Tokarska, Nathan P. Gillett, Andrew J. Weaver, Vivek K. Arora & Michael Eby
Corresponding author:
Katarzyna B. Tokarska, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, British Columbia
Original paper, published on May 23, 2016 in Nature.
