Climate Change Scientists Warn: Rising Sea Levels Up to Three Feet by 2100 Could Sink Miami, New York

According to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change could cause sea levels to rise by up to three feet by 2100, creating potential disaster areas in some of the world's most densely populated cities including (but not limited to): New York, Miami, New Orleans, London, Shanghai, Venice and Sydney.

The panel, which consists of several hundred scientists, is a reputable one; in 2007, they won the Nobel Peace Prize along with former Vice President Al Gore for their efforts in bringing the issue to the forefront of policy. Amongst the findings in their report, the IPCC cites a 95 percent certainty that climate change is a phenomenon directly linked to man's use of greenhouse gases. In 2007, they put their certainty at 90 percent; in 2001, it was 66 percent.

According to the report, if carbon dioxide levels continue to rise - as they have continuously over the last several decades - the earth's surface temperature will rise by at least 3.6 degrees farenheit, with a 5 degree increase considerably more likely. Should that occur, much of the heat wave, draught, food shortages, and mega-storms that the planet has experienced over the last several years will only increase in intensity.

A separate report, put out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) earlier this month found that the United States and Argentina had their warmest years on record in 2012.

That said, not all of the IPCCs findings were entirely grim; contrary to previous reports, the panel now has a wider range of potential outcomes, and now includes a low-end estimate of a 2.7 degree warming. In that "best case scenario", sea levels could be expected to rise as little as ten inches by the end of the century. This century saw an eight inch rise in sea level, which - although problematic - was not catastrophic.

Such a best-case scenario can only occur, however, if the major world governments get carbon emissions under control. To date, neither China nor the United States - two of world's the largest polluters - have signed any global climate treaties.