by: Chandika Maharjan
We reached 455 parts per million CO2 equivalent of green house gases in the atmosphere by 2007 when it was expected to take a decade showed the extent of problem. 455 parts per million is considered a tipping point which means the amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is already above the threshold that can potentially cause dangerous climate change. We are already at risk. It's not next year or next decade, it's now. The current trajectory of climate change is now much worse than the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) had originally projected in part due to China and India's increasing reliance on coal power. The research shows carbon emissions have grown sharply since 2000, despite growing concerns about climate change. During the 1990s, carbon emissions grew by less than 1% per year. Since 2000, emissions have grown at a rate of 3.5% per year. No part of the world had a decline in emissions from 2000 to 2008. Scientists claim that we are basically looking now at a future climate beyond anything we've considered seriously in climate model situations. Number of floods, droughts and storms around the world in 2007 amounted to a climate change "mega disaster”. We are seeing the effects of climate change. This is here and now, this is with us already. Unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to the earth.
17 comments:
I think the important question this raises however is who is going to pay for China and India to have clean energy?
The Earth is definitely going through major fluctuations right now, but then again it has always had cycles of warming and cooling. Although this cycle is moving more rapidly then previous ones due to human warming methods, the Earth will survive no matter what. Is what scares us so much is that humans may see an end soon?
just posing the alternate argument! :)
Chelsea is right, the earth is fine.
WHO CARES ABOUT THE EARTH!
We're working to save HUMANITY.
In 1883 Krakatoa erupted spewing the equivalent of 200 tons of TNT into the atmosphere. The amount of pollution humans have contributed to the earth is just now reaching the equivalent of 1 Krakatoa eruption. It is true that humans need to reduce pollution and create alternative resources, but it starts with 3rd world countries. China, India, countries in the Middle East, and Africa all need to adapt better climate strategies. The U.S. has done a great job at reducing pollutants, but now needs to focus on other countries pollution outputs.
When did they make the prediction that these levels of CO2 would take a decade to reach? Even if ppm were reduced to 350, would the affects already be too much underway to reverse?
Why are we still talking about the problems. We know their is a problem. We should start working on the solutions. I always ask myself these questions when presented with information like this.
I agree with Devin. It's time to start focusing on the solutions. The problem with reducing carbon emissions it that it is pricey. Ways to get around the cost and not but a total burden on the countries or world economy should be established. Without a doubt humans for centuries have been degraded the environment in ways that have been irreversible. We must do something now to combat these numbers. With Obama in office more of an opportunity for these changes will be made possible. The waxman-Markey energy bill is one on the table right now that attempts to address these issues.
Whatever happened to turning a crisis into an opportunity? The US is one of the technologically innovative countries in the world. If we turn our energies into using the resource of people and their creative powers we can emerge as the provider of efficient energy production, transmission, etc. It may cost money in the near term, but sooner or later the world is going to switch over to more renewable technology, we can be the leaders in this market if we are prudent enough to invest early, AKA now.
It's important to realize that even if the entire world were to totally cut all emissions and global warming components right this second, CO2 levels would continue to rise and the effects would continue to exacerbate for a number of years. For this reason, we mustn't devote all our resources towards preventing climate change. We must adapt, because it's too late. The Maldives, an island nation about to be submerged by rising sea levels, recently pledged to become 100% clean and green. But even if they make their goal, won't sea levels continue to rise? Yes! For this reason, they need to invent an adaptive measure, such as levees around their islands. This way, we can all be safe until global warming potentially wears off in future centuries.
To James: It would be of extraordinary benefit if somehow a policy could be created that would help developing nations to start off using clean energy rather than having to make the switch like we the U.S have to. I wonder if anything has ever been done.
Read Climate Code Red, its a much better, updated report than the IPCC
I think the U.S. is one of the major problems. Yes, China and India produce a lot of CO2 emmissions, but the U.S. has one of the highest rates of CO2 emmission in the world. We ARE a leader in technology, so WE should be the ones starting the innovations. Obviously the problems lies in every part of the world, but let's start with the solution here. Let's be the leaders in pollution reduction.
I used to be all about going green and finding alternative energy solutions for the mere reason of slowing down climate change. I think a lot of us feel hopeless in this endeavor and although I still support clean, renewable energy, I don't think that there is much chance of slowing or reducing global warming. We need to combine alternative fuels with adaptation for the inevitable warming and the changing of the world's landscapes and systems as we know them. I feel like the green trend is a little too late for several reasons (incl. government trying to "hush hush" the problem in the past). The earth WILL change and unless we try to slow our impact and learn to adapt around the change the results will be disastrous.
It is very simple to open minded academics like us; as we add more and more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere which is a green house gas which means it allows high frequency waves to pass through while trapping lower frequency waves like the ones re-radiating from earth. If the Earth retains more heat/energy, there will be more energy to power weather. We are seeing exactly that with the increase in natural weather. We must change our energy generation and needs and if we want to save the planet.
It is crazy to think how fast the climate is changing, and although I do believe no matter how humans act the earth will continue to change. The human population has caused the changes to occur outside of normal cycles. Due out tremendous pollution and other environmental harms we are speeding up the climate change at a dangerous rate.We have known this information for awhile now but what we need to learn is the solution.
I think this is one of those problems that isn't going to change until it's right at our doorstep and causing a lot of problems. Just look at the Copenhagen conference and how much that isn't getting accomplished. As long as the effects are far away and the benefits are immediate, it's incredibly difficult for me to imagine that any sort of planning or solution is going to be effectively implemented right now. Unfortunately, that just seems to be human nature. At least I'll be dead for worst of it!
This is an interesting topic and raises a lot of questions.
Post a Comment