Climate science

This interactive map shows some of the possible impacts of a global temperature rise of 4 degrees Celsius.

It underlines why the UK Government and other countries believe we must keep global warming to 2 degrees Celsius, because beyond that the impacts will be increasingly disruptive to our global prosperity and security.

To view this content you will need to install Google Earth

The Google Earth Layers feature:

Video entries from the scientists behind the climate research, led by the Met Office Hadley Centre.
Further explanation on the science and links to the research.
Examples of work the FCO & British Council are undertaking to persuade people of the risks of climate change and the need for a transition to a low carbon economy.

To note:

The validity of the science is only supported by the Met Office Hadley Centre when viewing Google Earth on this page or via the available download link.
The maps featured on our websites have been designed for display purposes only and should not be used for determining the precise location of places or features. The maps should not be considered an authority on the delimination of international boundaries or the spelling of place and feature names. The maps used on this website, including maps from second-party sites such as Google, are not to be taken as necessarily representing the views of the UK government on boundaries or political status.

Forest fire

Projected to affect every populated continent. Regions moving into the high-danger category include: the United States; Mexico; South America, east of the Andes; southern and east Africa; the Sahel; eastern and southern Australia and southern Europe.

Crops

Soybean yield could decrease in all regions of production, including North and South America, southern and eastern Asia.

Water availability

Water resources affected by up to 70% reduction in run-off around the Mediterranean, southern Africa and large areas of South America.

Sea level rise

Sea levels could rise as much as 80cm by the end of the century. Longer term, 4 ºC (7 ºF) would result in a much higher rise in sea level.

Marine

Marine ecosystems could be fundamentally altered by ocean acidification which would have a significant impact on fisheries. Marine ecosystems could be fundamentally altered by ocean acidification which would have a significant impact on fisheries.

Drought

1 in 10-year drought events today occur twice as frequently across southern Africa, South-East Asia and the Mediterranean basin.

Permafrost

Almost complete disappearance of near-surface permafrost from Northern Siberia.

Tropical cyclones

Global population increases, particularly in coastal areas, and sea-level rise mean greater cyclone and hurricane related losses, disruptions to infrastructure and loss of life as a result of storm surges.

Extreme temperature

Temperature increases in several highly populated regions are very large and, based on impacts of recent heat extreme events, are potentially beyond limits of adaptation.

Health

The subject of health covers a wide variety of issues from heat stress and the relationship between temperature and mortality, to changes in the extend of vector-borne diseases, to the health implications of water scarcity and flooding.