World Bank: Planet headed toward ‘unavoidable’ climate impacts

A number of future climate change impacts like extreme heat and sea level rise will be “unavoidable” even if global leaders start slashing greenhouse gases right away, according to a report from the World Bank.

The new study says “even with very ambitious mitigation action” past and estimated emissions from industrial sources have the planet on a set path toward a 1.5 degree Celsius temperature increase by mid-century.

{mosads}”If the planet continues warming to 4°C, climatic conditions, heat and other weather extremes considered highly unusual or unprecedented today would become the new climate normal — a world of increased risks and instability,” the World Bank report, released on Sunday, states.

Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank Group, said the report confirms scientists’ findings that “past emissions have set an unavoidable course to warming over the next two decades.”

Kim said record-breaking temperatures are already more frequent, as well as increased rainfall intensity, and drought-prone regions becoming drier.

The World Bank report urges nations to cut as much greenhouse gas emissions as possible to help stave off the worst impacts of global warming.

World leaders will meet in Peru in December to work on a deal ahead of a summit in Paris next year.