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A GLOBAL OUTLOOK ON METHANE GAS HYDRATES
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Annual temperature increases for 2001-2005
relative to 1951-1980
Average surface temperature anomaly (ºC)
-0.8 -0.4 -0.2 0.2 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.1
Source : Hansen, J., et al.
Global Temperature Changes,
Prot. Natl. Acad. Sci. 103, 2006.
Future trends in global climate change have been subjected
to intense scientific investigation, with major efforts being
mounted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC). Their fourth assessment report, published in 2007,
documents the growing impact of human activities on global
climate and reviews the challenges of undertaking forward
predictions (IPCC 2007).
3.4
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
PROJECTIONS
Figure 3.1:
Sea-surface and land-surface temperature changes. Change in ocean sea-surface temperature and temperature over land from
2001 to 2005, relative to the 1951-1980 mean (Hansen
et al.
2006). The Arctic is experiencing some of the Earth’s most significant warming.