Global climate interdisciplinary science for the COP17 in Durban, South Africa

摘要

The year 2010 is one of the warmest since we started keeping track of climate data in the early 1800s. Temperature records have been measured in 17 countries, including Pakistan where on May 26th, 53.5°C was noticed. In Russia, last summer, temperatures of 40°C were reached, and the resulting drought caused vast forest fires for weeks. These fires were responsible for hundreds of human deaths and covered Moscow and its environs with toxic smog for weeks. Extreme reductions of soil moisture made the wheat yields in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan fall by over 40%.