Committed

The Climate Change Commitment
Science, Vol 307, Issue 5716, 1766-1769 , 18 March 2005
T. M. L. Wigley

Even if atmospheric composition were fixed today, global-mean temperature and sea level rise would continue due to oceanic thermal inertia. These constant-composition (CC) commitments and their uncertainties are quantified. Constant-emissions (CE) commitments are also considered. The CC warming commitment could exceed 1°C. The CE warming commitment is 2° to 6°C by the year 2400. For sea level rise, the CC commitment is 10 centimeters per century (extreme range approximately 1 to 30 centimeters per century) and the CE commitment is 25 centimeters per century (7 to 50 centimeters per century). Avoiding these changes requires, eventually, a reduction in emissions to substantially below present levels. For sea level rise, a substantial long-term commitment may be impossible to avoid.

How Much More Global Warming and Sea Level Rise?
Science, Vol 307, Issue 5716, 1769-1772 , 18 March 2005
Gerald A. Meehl,* Warren M. Washington, William D. Collins, Julie M. Arblaster, Aixue Hu, Lawrence E. Buja, Warren G. Strand, Haiyan Teng

Two global coupled climate models show that even if the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere had been stabilized in the year 2000, we are already committed to further global warming of about another half degree and an additional 320% sea level rise caused by thermal expansion by the end of the 21st century. Projected weakening of the meridional overturning circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean does not lead to a net cooling in Europe. At any given point in time, even if concentrations are stabilized, there is a commitment to future climate changes that will be greater than those we have already observed.

Also, you might like to see what the gang at Kos has to say about it.

Of course, you need a Ph.D. in climatology, meterology, or marine science to really understand it- but you need to understand this: the world is changing, and there's nothing we can do to stop it.

But we can develop technology to minimize the damage.

And just as we release greenhouse gases, technology could be used to fix them.