Carbon Levels Could Hit Pre-Human, 'Palms in the Arctic' State by Mid-Century

[Rhiannon12866]

If fossil fuel use continues unabated, atmosphere could revert "to values of CO2 not seen since the early Eocene (50 million years ago)," new report finds

Current carbon dioxide levels are unprecedented in human history and could reach a level unseen in millennia if their rates continue at this pace, a new report out Tuesday warns.

Research published in Nature Communications finds that if fossil fuel use continues unabated, the atmosphere could revert "to values of CO2 not seen since the early Eocene (50 million years ago)," a time when humans did not exist, by the middle of the 21st century.

Dana L. Royer, a paleoclimate researcher at Wesleyan University and co-author of the study, told Climate Central, "The early Eocene was much warmer than today: global mean surface temperature was at least 10°C (18°F) warmer than today. There was little-to-no permanent ice. Palms and crocodiles inhabited the Canadian Arctic."

Because carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for centuries, climate change would continue to impact the planet even if humans miraculously dropped emissions to zero after hitting that mid-century peak, Royer said.

Indeed, global warming may have already locked in the Antarctic ice sheet for unstoppable melting—driving sea level rise and threatening coastal communities worldwide.


More: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/04/04/carbon-levels-could-hit-pre-human-palms-arctic-state-mid-century



Because carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for centuries, climate change would continue to impact the planet even if humans miraculously dropped emissions to zero after hitting that mid-century peak. (Photo: Kevin Gill/flickr/cc)

[NickB79]

1. So my joke of becoming a banana farmer in Minnesota is no longer a joke?

Son of a bitch......

[Cooley Hurd]

2. sigh...

It makes me glad I didn't procreate.

[NNadir]

3. Well this is a surprise. I've heard many times from commondreams that so called...

..."renewable energy" would save the day and we would all drive around on weekends in our swell solar powered Tesla electric cars.

I guess that didn't happen, did it?

Magical Thinking at Common Dreams

If solar's so cheap, and so wonderful, how come we're dumping more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than ever before?

It's somewhat surprising that over at Common Dreams, what they call "the best year ever for solar" was the worst year ever for the observation of increases in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, 3.05 ppm in a single year.

Outlook is Sunny: Solar Energy On Track for Its Best Year Ever

The outlook over there is, um, "sunny."

The outlook for the planet is quite different than what they seem to be celebrating.

The problem is that we all, left and right, lie to ourselves.