It may be too late to save the ice caps

New studies of Greenland and Antarctica have forced a UN expert panel to conclude there is a 50% chance that widespread ice sheet loss "may no longer be avoided" because of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Such melting would raise sea levels by four to six metres, the scientists say.

Such news is bad. However, in my experience many people have to have it spelled out to them just why it is bad. Take it at the level of human populations and geopolitics. So here's why (and I can remember preaching about this in about 2003)

It would cause "major changes in coastline and inundation of low-lying areas" and require "costly and challenging" efforts to move millions of people and infrastructure from vulnerable areas.

And in case your geography is challenged here's an excerpt of what it would mean, even if the process took some time.

Areas such as the Maldives would be swamped and low-lying countries such as the Netherlands and Bangladesh, as well as coastal cities including London, New York and Tokyo, would face critical flooding.

Still, we could move them to Greenland which would mean that Denmark would have all the immigration problems ... (ironic comment; in case it looks callous).
Question for the churches: how serious are we about being both part of the solution and to helping to deal with the effects? Do we want to leave a legacy such as the Clapham sect left in working for the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade and the holding of slaves in British territories? That would be a great gift to our great great godchildren in terms of apologetics. I think we must. How to start and continue?
Climate change: scientists warn it may be too late to save the ice caps | Climate change | Guardian Unlimited Environment: Filed in: climate, flooding, global_warming, consequences