In 30 years it has increased the pace of accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere

A UN report shows that the rate of accumulation of CO2 and other gases is increasing year after year

It will soon be 17 years from the signing of the Kyoto Protocol that drove reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Part of the protocol referred to CFCs already being eradicated because of another also deleterious effect on the atmosphere was fulfilled: the destruction of the ozone layer; but the most important reducing CO2 emissions from the combustion of hydrocarbon energy to achieve, not only it hasn’t been met but that emissions have increased. A report commissioned by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that in the last 30 years CO2 is still accumulating in the atmosphere, it also shows an acceleration almost double the rate of accumulation was in the 80s.


The consequence is clear the average temperatures increases, due to the greenhouse effect, the effect caused by CO2 and other gases, decreases the amount of heat released into the atmosphere space. Although there are voices arguing the validity of the existence of a correlation between increased CO2 (indisputable) with increasing temperature (this also proved but discussed by the deniers); although the evidence is irrefutable if the two curves are compared: the concentration of CO2 per year, with average temperatures per year.

Anyway CO2 has risen steeply reaching 400 ppm. This figure obviously is a round number, but due to two criteria. The first was the approximate 200 ppm concentration of CO2 was widespread before the Industrial Revolution in the mid-nineteenth century, thus 400 ppm is to double this concentration. The second is more significant; there have been periods with greater concentration as the Cretaceous, although it was several times higher than this, or the latest Pliocene period where there are concentrations of this order; but never in the past 600,000 years, during which we have fossil records indicate direct CO2 concentration, temperature and other climatic variables, it has come to this concentration. At the moment there are no data to show how would be the weather with this concentration of CO2.

The weather is not linear, and our current climate is very cold compared to the Pliocene. So expect that climate would evolve until resemble to into this period, in one way or another, and in accordance of virulence that is taking the current climate it will tend to the rapid and devastating form. Already speak on "The great flood" the disappearance of glaciers force a migration of 3,000 million; but it will be involved not only the coast, also crops suffer within climate change and the consequent relocation and disappearance of species.

We can ask May we stop climate change? At in this point no. In "The fossil CO2 is going out Permafrost" I spoke about how methane hydrides of the ocean floor began to release methane due to increased temperature. Also the low temperatures increase the CO2 absorption capacity of water, lowering the rate of absorption of this and subsequent conversion to O2 by planktonic algae. Also the heat releases the CO2 absorbed by the ice. In short, only by the fact to have reached these temperatures we are creating increase of CO2.

In a desperate appeal by the United Nations, it calls for drastic stop emissions, which is a euphemism for "stop burning oil, coal and gas NOW". Obviously this will not be carried out because the state is still the subject of renewable energy would be practically a "shutdown" of human activity. However the increase of violent weather phenomena and the main temperatures record, have rethought the positions, even the most reluctant countries (except Australia and Russia); although some producing of fossil energy countries also joined.

Today we are facing the most important challenge facing humanity and as happens in front of all the challenges there isn’t unanimity when it comes to deal with it. You can most actors would more or less agree, the interests of third parties make no progress together. With overpopulation coupled with a waste of resources we have to face climate change to which we turn our eyes to other; It is causing it to end up being much worse than humanity could endure.


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