No further increase in carbon dioxide in atmosphere since early 2000s, study finds
by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
According to a study released in May 2012 old carbon sinks that were considered no longer to be working in fact still continue to absorb CO2 and more than thought even. Also according to the same study there has been no further increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere since about 2004.
thus, though being acutely aware that the climate is changing and man has played a not significant role in inducing climate change, it may rather be more a natural phenomenon at base and therefore adaptation together with transitioning to a fossil free future may, nay is, required.
Everyone in government and such is claiming that climate change, previously referred to as “global warming”, that is if we do not count the claims of “global cooling2 in the 1960s and 1970s, is entirely down to human activity. And because of this notion there is also the belief that, because we caused it, we can stop and reverse it, if we but reduce carbon dioxide by curbing carbon emissions.
That belief may prove to be a fallacy if there is a large proportion of the Earth's own activity involved. If that is the case then reducing green house gas emissions alone is not going to cut it and we must actually actively adapt to the changes.
Having said this does not mean that changing to a fossil free economy and society and cleaning up our act in general does not matter. It matters a great deal in fact and we must do it. No ifs or buts. And we must do more. We must remove all pollutants and stop polluting the Planet.
Even if we can stop things happening and adapt to climate change, as we must, a planet whose soil, air and water is polluted is not something to be aimed for. This also makes nuclear energy, in actual truth, not an option.
Here also lies my issue with the constant clamor as to carbon dioxide and carbon per se. It is NO JUST carbon emissions we need to cut and carbon dioxide we need to remove but we need to remove all pollutants and all forms of pollution.
As far as the old carbon sinks have stopped working claim goes it would appear that climate scientists got it wrong (again).
The study indicates that far from having stopped working those old carbon sinks have been absorbing more CO2 in recent years and kept the levels steady but still, climate change continues.
Have we concentrated too much on CO2 and carbon reduction. Methinks yes and that to the detriment of other, possible, solutions to clean up the Planet.
Reports now also indicate that many of the Himalaya's glaciers, far from reducing are actually increasing and some of them at a tremendous rate.
Carbon and carbon reduction has become an industry and worldwide market, something that removing plastics from the world's oceans, or removing other pollution from water, soil and air can never be. Hence, it would appear, the emphasis that is being put on carbon and carbon reduction alone. It is a nice little earner for some.
© 2012
