Almost nine out of 10 climate scientists do not believe political efforts to restrict global warming to two degrees Celsius will succeed, a Guardian poll reveals Tuesday.
An average rise of 4-5C by the end of this century is more likely, they say, given soaring carbon emissions and political constraints.
The Guardian contacted all 1,756 people who registered to attend a scientific conference in Copenhagen where a series of studies were presented that suggested global warming could strike harder and faster than realized.
The 261 experts who responded represented 26 countries and included dozens of senior figures, including laboratory directors, heads of university departments and authors of the 2007 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the U.K. daily says on its Web site.