The planet could be heading for an overall increase of temperatures of up to 6 degrees celsius if there are no reductions in carbon emissions, says a UCT climate scientist.
This will mean “disaster” for water resources and food production.
“It will be devastating,” says UCT’s Peter Johnson in a recent address to Southern African parliamentarians in Cape Town. “The difference between an average sumer and a very hot summer is on average only 1 degree. An increase of 2 degrees celsius average global temperature is more than you will ever have experienced in your lives. At 6 degrees celsius it means disaster for food, for water, for ecosystems.”
Johnson added that even very small increases of average temperature could adversely effect Southern Africa and bring about “a real possibility of socio-economic impoverishment.”