Grow gills! Earth will sink by 2030

Russia Today, November 7, 2008, 19:05

The International Energy Agency has warned that the Earth is on course for a 6 °C increase in temperatures by 2030 - which could lead to a dramatic rise in sea levels. It says that current hydrocarbon consumption trends are far above what climate experts believe the planet can withstand.

The IEA’s 2008 World Energy Outlook said that, over the next 20 years, oil and other fossil fuels are unlikely to run dry, which may be good for certain economies, but poses a threat to the environment. Carbon emission from burnt fuel is the major contributor to global warming, scientists say.

Some theories indicate a temperatures rise of just 4 °C may trigger worsening global warming that would make polar ice caps melt and sea levels rise dangerously. It’s feared low-lying countries such as the Netherlands and Australia may be drowned in a Biblical-scale catastrophe.

October 2030 was named as a pivotal time by the World Wildlife Fund. The environmental organisation warns that humanity consumes too many natural resources and the Earth fails to keep pace.

The Living Planet Report said that, by 2030, a second earth would be required for humans to maintain their current lifestyle.

With such a bleak prospect, it’s predicted humanity would descend into wars as countries would seek control over fresh water, fossils, farmlands and other resources. The losers and unlucky ones would face starvation and extinction.