Tropical Ecosystems And Economies Will Be Devastated 'Within Our Generation'

The Huffington Post reports that scientists have warned that within our generation "whatever climate we were used to will be a thing of the past"  and that ecosystems and economies in the tropics could be left devastated within a generation, experts have predicted, saying "changes will be coming soon." The catastrophic impacts could leave many species facing extinction, they warned, as "unprecedented climates" irreversibly affect the world's poorest and most vulnerable countries.Researchers showed that current levels of greenhouse gas emissions would lead to a transformation of climate around the world and unprecedented changes as early as 2047. But, says the report,  in the most vulnerable regions the impact could be felt much sooner, with the researches starkly stating "the changes are already upon us." Since the tropics house most of the world's population and contribute significantly to global food supplies, the social and economic impact would also be serious and far-reaching. "The results shocked us," said lead researcher Dr Camilo Mora, from the University of Hawaii. "Regardless of the scenario, changes will be coming soon. Within my generation, whatever climate we were used to will be a thing of the past."The scientists used 39 climate simulation models to look at the likely effects of global warming in different locations around the world. Projections over the next 100 years showed that the average region on Earth was predicted to experience a radically different climate by 2047 with co-author Dr Ryan Longman saying  "Our results suggest that countries first impacted by unprecedented climates are the ones with the least capacity to respond" adding  "Ironically, these are the countries that are least responsible for climate change in the first place." Commenting on the findings, published in the journal Nature, US expert Dr Ken Caldeira from the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington D.C. said: "This work demonstrates that we are pushing the ecosystems of the world out of the environment in which they evolved into wholly new conditions that they may not be able to cope with" adding "Extinctions are likely to result. Some ecosystems may be able to adapt, but for others, such as coral reefs, complete loss of not only individual species but their entire integrity is likely."The Huffington Post