Hence, according to the latest estimates by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Earth will warm by 1.4–5.8 °C during this century. Many toxic substances are released into the environment, even some that are not toxic but nonetheless are highly damaging – for example, the chlorofluorocarbons that caused the Antarctic ozone hole (and which are now regulated).
由此看来，目前的后果非常严重：酸雨，烟雾和全球气候变暖等。根据政府间气候变化专门委员会（IPCC）的最近一项估算，本世纪地球的温度已经升高了1.4–5.8 °C，很多有毒物质被释放在环境中，即便一些非有毒的物质，对大自然也是有危害的——例如氯氟碳导致南极臭氧层空洞。（目前，我们已经采取行动来治理这个问题。）