Climatic change and sea level rise, driven by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, have emerged as significant scientific and political issues. The global nature of these challenges has prompted calls for extensive research to assess the nature, magnitude, and rate of climate change and its impacts on the environment and society, as well as feedback mechanisms within the climate system. Research outlines have been developed, including by the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected a global mean temperature increase of 0.1 to 0.3°C per decade over the next century, with regional variations. Climate scenarios indicate that tropical regions may experience a smaller temperature rise, while high-latitude areas could see increases of twice the global mean. Historical climate changes provide analogues for future shifts, demonstrating significant impacts on species distribution, geomorphological processes, and land use. Recent studies have highlighted a mismatch between current vegetation distributions and future bioclimatic zones under warmer conditions. Consequently, global warming of several degrees Celsius over the coming decades is expected to significantly affect terrestrial ecosystems and landscapes.
