In January 2001, representatives of 99 countries gathered in Shanghai to consider evidence on global warming as part of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Their conclusions, while not new to scientists, set off alarm bells among laypeople and policymakers around the world. The scientific evidence on global warming is now stronger than ever and points to a rise in temperatures of 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius over the next century, higher than earlier predictions. Higher temperatures will be accompanied by rising sea levels and more frequent occurrence of extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods and violent storms.
The IPCC has studied not only the projected changes in climate, but also how those changes will affect many human activities, including agriculture.
