New map shows the impact of climate change

British scientists have created a map illustrating the disastrous consequences of climate change if the average global temperature rises by 4 degrees.

Designed by the Met Office and leading impact scientists, the map highlights the severe effects of a 4 degree Celsius (7 °F) global temperature rise on water availability, agricultural productivity, extreme temperatures and drought, and the risk of forest fire and sea level rise. 

The poster shows that a four degree average rise will not be spread uniformly across the globe. The land will heat up more quickly than the sea, and high latitudes, particularly the Arctic, will have larger temperature increases. The average land temperature will be 5.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.

Agricultural yeilds of all major cereal crops would decrease, some by as much as 20% . This could result in potentially tens to hundreds of millions more people at risk from hunger. Most of this increase would occur in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The impact of rising sea levels will mean low-lying coastal areas become more vulnerable to flooding, land loss and lack of freshwater supplies. People living in densely populated parts of East and South Asia may be forced to migrate.

The UK Government launched the map today in the lead up to the Copenhagen climate change talks in December. Britain is pushing for an agreement which takes action to limit global temperature increases to no more than 2 degrees Celsius.

Government Chief Scientist, Professor John Beddington, who helped launch the map, said, "This map developed by the Met Office Hadley Centre, based on the latest climate modelling and peer reviewed science, shows a truly frightening picture of a possible future world in which mankind has failed to act on climate change. It is a world we must do all we can to avoid. A 4degC rise globally would mean temperature rises far higher than 4degC in many countries and regions, with potentially devastating impacts for people across the planet."