The American Geophysical Union (AGU) issued a warning on the necessity of reducing the greenhouse emissions to half of the present rates in order to prevent a 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) warming that could prove disastrous not only for the environment , but also for the economy and our entire future.

The report finds an out of balance climate on Earth, in a continuous warming process, and with alarming changing rates for all of its components: the temperatures of the atmosphere, land and ocean, the extent of the sea ice, the sea level, the precipitation in terms of quantity and distribution, and the length of seasons, all with one common denominator: greenhouse emissions.

The Union asks for a 50 percent cut of emissions by 2100, and it may seem like a long time for us, but in fact it is anything but long. It’s a time trial for the 21st century civilization to make sustaining efforts in order to avoid an accentuated global warming phenomenon that will most certainly pose global problems not only for us, but for the future generations as well.

A greater than 2 degrees Celsius warming would prove to be disruptive, “reducing global agricultural productivity, causing widespread loss of biodiversity, and – if sustained over centuries – melting much of the Greenland ice sheet with ensuing rise in sea level of several meters … Given the uncertainty in climate projections, there can be surprises that may cause more dramatic disruptions than anticipated from the most probable model projections."

It is going to be a tough challenge for humanity to win this race, but the AGU Council is convinced that only through a sustained effort, things will begin to change for the better. Furthermore, there is also an economic advantage to taking action now, as it is better to prevent than to treat. After all, it is not just us we have to think about in this equation, but the generations to come.