Once a person understands just a few earth-shattering realities, it changes everything.
- the amount of GHGs in today's atmosphere means that the Earth is required by the laws of physics to warm by a further 9 degrees C in order to achieve energy equilibrium (as much energy leaving the planet as entering from the Sun)
- air pollution from burning fossil fuels is protecting humanity and all life from at least 1 degree C of global warming. James Hansen recently said that these aerosols have been hiding at least 2.4C of warming.
- most of the eventual equilibrium warming materialises very rapidly on a century timescale
- Loss of the ice sheets and coastal cities is inevitable. James Hansen predicts multi-metre sea level rise within several decades.