Climate change and loss of biodiversity

Glacier.png

What to look for on Smart Talk Tuesday, November 13, 2018:

A recent report from the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change paints a pretty dire picture. By 2040, the world faces myriad crises — including food shortages, extreme weather, wildfires and a mass die-off of coral reefs — unless emissions are cut sharply.

Scientists are urging world leaders to keep the warming below 1.5 celsius above pre-industrial levels. That’s half a degree less than the goal set by the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. They conceded that there is “no documented historic precedent” for such a rapid transformation of the global economy.

Additionally, climate change and other factors, including habitat destruction and invasive species, are fueling an ongoing mass extinction event rarely seen in earth’s history.

Appearing on Smart Talk to discuss the climate report is Professor Richard Alley, Evan Pugh University Professor, Penn State, department of Geosciences, and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute.

Also joining Smart Talk are Professor S. Blair Hedges, director, center for biodiversity, Temple University, and Kerry Cesareo, vice president for forests with the World Wildlife Fund, to discuss habitat loss and biodiversity.

Marie and Joe.png

Joe Ulrich, engineer, and Marie Cusick, guest host

Cesareo alley hedges (2).png

Kerry Cesareo, Richard Alley and S. Blair Hedges