"Representatives from more than 150 countries will gather at the United Nations on Friday to officially sign a global accord aimed at slashing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing climate change. But in the four months since that historic pact was negotiated in Paris, a drumbeat of grim scientific findings has underscored that staving off the worst consequences of global warming may take far more aggressive actions.

The first three months of 2016 were the warmest on record in 136 years — by large margins. The massive Greenland ice sheet has melted this spring to an extent that scientists say they’ve never seen this early. New research suggested that if high levels of emissions continue unabated, sea levels could rise by nearly twice as much as expected by the end of this century. A global coral bleaching event fueled by warm seas is turning some once-majestic reefs into ghostly underwater graveyards.

The list goes on and on."

Chris Mooney and Brady Dennis report for the Washington Post April 20, 2016. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"U.N. Members Fear U.S. 'Sabotage' Of Obama's Climate Commitments" (Reuters) [3]

"Climate Deal To Be Signed Amid 'Faster' Global Progress, Moniz Says" (Christian Science Monitor) [4]