Report: Global temperatures to rise by 4 degrees; cities such as Shanghai and Tianjin will be flooded

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According to a report by BBC Chinese on November 9, a latest report by the U.S.-based research institution Climate Center indicates that if global temperatures rise by 4 degrees, **China will be the most severely affected by rising sea levels. Four out of the 10 major cities impacted will be in China, including Shanghai, Tianjin, **, and Taizhou in Zhejiang Province. Researchers say that a rise in temperature of 2 degrees Celsius is sufficient to pose a long-term threat to many major coastal cities, while global temperatures could increase by 4 degrees Celsius over the next few hundred years. The transition from a 2-degree rise to a 4-degree rise could occur within as little as 200 years, or it might not happen until 2000 years from now. The research report states that if temperatures rise by 4 degrees Celsius, China will be the most affected, with its coastal areas, where 145 million people live, turning into seas of water. Four of the 10 most dangerous cities assessed in the report are located in China, including Shanghai, Tianjin, ** and Taizhou, covering a population of up to 44 million people. India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh also face the same threat. Globally, 75% of the population living in these areas that are about to be swallowed by the oceans is located in Asia. Experts generally agree that the most effective way to slow down global warming is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate warming. However, the United Nations had previously warned that even though many countries have made commitments to reduce emissions, global temperatures are likely to rise by 3 degrees Celsius. The World Bank warns that without action to address it, global warming will exacerbate disease outbreaks, severely impact crops, and push over 100 million people into poverty. The most effective way to address global warming is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the United Nations Climate Summit to be held in Paris, France, on November 30 will have curbing the rise in surface temperatures as its main goal.