The world's carbon dioxide emissions in 2007 exceeded even some of the direst predictions of climate scientists, growing 3 percent from 2006 according to an annual report from the Global Carbon Project. The climb in overall emissions last year was especially surprising given the economic downturn that was expected to help curb emissions. For the first time, developing nations took the lead in overall CO2 emissions, accounting for some 53 percent of the total, according to the report. China was also officially reconfirmed as the world's largest CO2 polluter; it alone accounted for some 60 percent of the rise in worldwide emissions in 2007. The report also found that the world's natural carbon sinks, such as oceans and forests that lock away carbon and keep it out of the atmosphere, have been absorbing some 3 percent less CO2 pollution since 2000 than they did in the first half of the 20th century. "We should be worried, really worried. This is happening in the context of trying to reduce emissions," said Richard Moss of the World Wildlife Fund. "We're already locked into more warming than we thought."
source: The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Reuters
Obama headed to Copenhagen, sets the bar for success
‘Copenhagen Diagnosis’ offers a grim update to the IPCC’s climate science
Comments
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guade00 Posted 1:06 am
26 Sep 2008
When we should have been turning this runaway train around, we haven't even slowed it down. And does anyone really think Copenhagen 2009, the successor to Kyoto, will get our planetary house in order?
The political will for drastic measures does not exist. The time for change has come and gone. Conservation, emissions reductions, and the green economy may make sense in their own regard; but, in terms of climate change, is mitigation now our only realistic option?
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christophersj Posted 5:48 am
26 Sep 2008
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tui3 Posted 10:49 am
26 Sep 2008
I say make any rescue package subject to requirements on Wall St to invest from now on only in sustainable, planet-protecting investments.
That might be just the type of major step we need.
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Delay And Deny Posted 9:09 pm
26 Sep 2008
Temps in Kent, WA are down right chilly for this time of year! Feels like the onset of winter, not fall.
I think that the Van Bailo Belt has become enough of a infrared sink that rays aren't bouncing back to earth.
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F James Handley Posted 1:05 am
28 Sep 2008
Moralizing doesn't change market behavior, but prices do! A gradually-increasing revenue-neutral carbon tax on fossil fuel producers could change price signals. Distribution of the revenue to individuals could stimulate our economy. Check out http://www.carbontax.org.
Yes, this is an opportunity to build carbon pricing into the financial restructuring!
And, yes, coastal areas are cooling: as land gets hotter creating updrafts, temperature gradients between land and ocean are increasing, drawing more cooling wind off the oceans. (Ocean winds induced by heat in the desert make San Francisco chilly in late summer and early autumn.)
"Global warming" is misleading (it's not uniform warming) and too benign-sounding (it's not gradual and we won't be able to adapt for long). More like accelerating "Climate Weirdness" or "Climate Chaos." No predictable seasons means no rain when we need it. Failing crops, and in short order, collapsing civilization.
Setting climate policy (including a price on carbon) is far more important than bailing out speculators.
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