DeKALB | On Feb. 2, the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its summary about the future impact of global warming. The final report, more than 1,000 pages long, won’t be released until later this year.

As the fourth report in recent years, it has taken three years to write, and has involved more than 1,000 scientists and experts from all parts of the world. Representatives from 113 world governments met in Paris at the beginning of February to agree on the final wording of the report.

The IPCC’s report states the evidence for global warming is unequivocal and that in 50 years time, there has been more than a 90 percent chance that greenhouse gas pollution has caused much of the warming that’s been recorded over time. Also, it’s stated that the pace of temperatures rising will more than likely accelerate in the decades to come.

David Goldblum, assistant professor of geography, said the IPCC’s report was strongly worded and held a strong statement. Goldblum said the panel compared old findings and found many of its earlier predictions had come to fruition. Some points were missed, mainly on glacial melting. But over time, the models have gotten more advanced and predictions about the

changes in climate have been easier.

“This report has been a wake-up call,” Goldblum said. “Many governments have realized that global warming is serious and must take action in the best interest of the public and the future.”

Dr. Jay Lehr, science director at the Heartland Institute, a national nonprofit research and education organization based out of Chicago, has been following the scientific panel’s report. According to Lehr, the report states little changes will happen over time, all in moderation.

“We are just coming out of a little ice age that ended 300 years ago, so of course there has been a shift in climate change,” Lehr said. “We are adaptable to climate change; it’s all part of the human condition.”

Goldblum said adapting to climate changes won’t be the only issue.

“With the effects of global warming and using up our natural resources, these are irreversible things and we are unable to accomplish and fix them in the end,” Goldblum said. “Yes, We can adapt to the global climate changes, but we must move people away from low-sea areas such as in China and Bangladesh, because the sea levels will rise. But, if we do nothing, in 20 to 30 years time, we will see the effects of global warming.”

Lehr said the government doesn’t want to spend a lot of money on just revamping changes in fuels and other technologies that may stop global warming.

Goldblum states from the British Stern Review, which found that if no country acts economically, the overall costs and risks of climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5 percent of global GDP each year. But in contrast, the cost of action in reducing greenhouse gas emissions will have cost 1 percent of global GDP each year.

According to Goldblum, there is major potential in green money and Silicon Valley seems to be moving into the green product market. Several corporations have taken action and formed a group called the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP). The group is composed of Caterpillar Inc., BP America, General Electric, DuPont and other major companies. Its reason for forming is to call on the federal government to quickly enact strong national legislation to require significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and set a standard for all companies.

Goldblum said NIU’s presidential science adviser has been keeping an eye on the public reaction about global warming and this new report. A lecture series is currently in the planning stages for later this spring or in the fall about the general effects of climate change, and the economic and political implications.