PITTSBURGH, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led study warns that ecosystems and societies are at risk from the ongoing warming of our planet.
Elmar Kriegler, a visiting scientist at Carnegie Mellon University from Germany's Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, was one of seven scientists who helped compile the study identifying the most vulnerable areas of Earth that are at risk for rapid climate change.
"We found that while most global change is perceived to be a slow, gradual process, there are areas of the planet where this change can be abrupt and potentially irreversible," said Kriegler.
The scientists said the two areas of greatest concern are the Arctic Sea ice and the Greenland ice sheet. If the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, it would displace enough water to raise world sea levels 23 feet, inundating large parts of coastal Florida, most of Bangladesh and many other regions worldwide, they said.
"What this study shows is that the stakes are enormous, bringing into focus the fragility of the climate conditions on Earth," said Kriegler.
The study is detailed in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
