According to Mark Lynas... 1° rise in the temperature of the Earth would have quite an impact...

His book, Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet gives some examples of how much difference a seemingly small rise could make, seeings as predictions state that we will see a 6° rise in the Earth's temperature by the end of the century.

A small increase would make Nebraska's fertile agricultural land look much like the Sahara - as it did approximately 6,000 years ago when the Earth was 1° hotter.

Meanwhile, the Sahara would be green again, like it once was when paintings of giraffes and elephants found there were created.

But whilst that may sound pleasant, the last of the snow on Mount Kilimanjaro would melt, leaving Africa with no ice for the first time in over 10,000 years.

Plus the Alps would melt - resulting in deadly landslides.

If the rest of Earth felt a 1° rise, the Arctic would feel much more - meaning even more of it melting into the sea, along with Polar Bears, Walruses and some breeds of Seal.

Most of the Barrier Reef would also die.

2° could even see the Ocean's becoming deserts and the Greenland ice sheet melting... imagine what 6° could do...

References: Guardian review of Mark Lynas's Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet

Mark Lynas's Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet is available from Amazon.co.uk for £7.79