'Unequivocal' that human influence has warmed the planet, UN climate panel finds

A United Nations climate panel said in no uncertain terms that the world is seeing severe impacts of climate change that will continue to worsen as the planet warms.

A United Nations climate panel has confirmed -- in its strongest language ever -- that the impacts of human-caused climate change are severe and widespread, and that while there is still a chance to limit that warming, some impacts will continue to be felt for centuries. "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land," the report reads. "Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred." The UN panel said there is more evidence than ever before that human activity and greenhouse gas emissions are warming the planet at a rate unprecedented in the last 2,000 years and that the impacts of that warming are already severe and widespread. "Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe," according to the report.