We Are Running Out of Time....
It doesn't seem to matter that we are making the effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, they are still rising, to record high levels, according to a report published by the World Meteorological Organsiation today (9/9/14).
Concentrations of carbon dioxide, the major cause of global warming, increased at their fastest rate for 30 years in 2013, despite warnings from the world’s scientists of the need to cut emissions to halt temperature rises. Experts warned that the world was “running out of time” to reverse rising levels of carbon dioxide to tackle climate change. Concentrations of carbon dioxide, according to the WMO report today, increased at their fastest rate for 30 years 2012 - 2013, and the question is.....why?
We are trying so hard....arn't we? Making the effort to cut emissions, with legally binding targets and reports that we are making them. So why are we measuring levels increasing last year by 2.9ppm – the largest annual increase seen from 1984 to 2013?
Carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for many hundreds of years and in the ocean for even longer. Past, present and future CO2 emissions will have a cumulative impact on both global warming and ocean acidification
Oceans cushion the increase of carbon dioxide, being sinks for atmospheric and terrestrial carbon, forests also play their immense role of being carbon sinks, with steady acidification of the ocean with more and more anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, deforestation on a massive scale in the tropics particularly, and erosion of natural ecosystems around the world from unsustainable business practices forgetting nature is not "free" - We are feeling the effects.
Natures carbon 'sinks' have so far been protecting us from some of the largest impacts of carbon dioxide rise, they have locked away almost half the carbon we emit. But if these natural safety systems start to fail, if their capacity has been reached which is why carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are rising, although emissions are falling, this is reason for grave concern.
Prof Joanna Haigh, co-director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and Environment, Imperial College London, said: “Far from a slowdown, the concentration is rising faster than ever – with an inevitable impact on future global temperatures... steps need to be taken now to reduce CO2 emissions.”
The planet we live upon, and with, has a self regulating, homeostatic function. It will always work to self equilibriate. If we continue to push the Earth Systems beyond capacity, continue Business as Usual something will give, simply put, this is the key to runaway Climate Change. We need to do more, and we need to do it now.
