Quote Originally Posted by McLeodGanja
I believe that our climate is on the verge of going through a period of instability. I think the north pole is going to completely melt at least once within my lifetime.
The instability is the greatest concern.

Complex systems like climate are always variable within a certain range. They have a certain amount of chaos, but also a kind of order that brings them back to predictable "averages," or equilibrium. So, for example, you might know that a certain area is good for growing corn on average --- you might have good years and bad years, but on average it's pretty reliable. When a complex system gets an outside input, like extra CO2, it can often maintain it's stability up to a point. But if the input grows too big, it reaches a tipping point where the feedbacks do not pull it into equilibrium any longer and there is a period of extreme chaos. Generally the system will eventually settle into a new equilibrium, but not the same one as before. Our challenge will be to survive the chaotic period until the new equilibrium is reached. There is likely to be unsettled weather for years which will result in crop failures, flooding, drought, and wildfires. If it is bad enough, then part of the chaos will be be the social chaos as we deal with stravation and displaced refugees. This holds true even if the warming is not manmade.

And, yes, you will see the north pole melt within your lifetime. It is only a few years away.