Figure 2.1: IPCC temperature projections out to 2100
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Note: These are derived from the SRES scenarios, together with an estimate of Northern Hemisphere temperature variations from 1000 to 1860, and globally averaged temperatures from measurements made between 1860 and 2000.
Text description of figure
This figure shows a graph of the Earth's temperature variations relative to 1990 values, in degrees Celsius for the period AD1000 to AD2100. From 1000 to 1860, estimates of the temperature were derived from proxy data for the northern hemisphere. The figure shows that these temperatures were 0.2 to 0.6 degrees Celsius lower than in 1990. From 1860 to 2000, the globally averaged temperatures, derived from instrumental observations, rose by about 0.8 degrees. From 2000 to 2100, the projected increase in possible global temperatures, from seven plausible emission scenarios, varies from between 1.1 and 5.8 degrees Celsius higher than the 1990 base value.
Source: Figure SPM-10b, IPCC Synthesis Report, Watson et al 2001.
