Earth losing ability to handle global warming
May 18th, 2007 by ashish
More of an alarming headline, but whenever people talk about global warming, they talk about it happening in a decade or more, or maybe later in this century, but not right now. And doubters keep on asking for solid proof, talking about temperature warming being a cycle, and we being in the midst of such a cycle. However, scientists are seeing much more proof about the effects of global warming. So, for example, scientists are finding that oceans (supposed to be vast sinks that will store excess carbon dioxide), are actually losing their capability. Refer this article:
Recent changes in the climate have weakened the Earth’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide through the oceans and are speeding up global warming, scientists have found.
A four-year study of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica found that an increase in winds caused by greenhouse gases and ozone depletion is preventing the sea from absorbing more carbon, according to a study published in this week’s Science.
The study, which focused on measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide made at over 40 sites around the world since 1981, suggests that it will be even harder to stabilise carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and prevent the world’s temperature rising more than an average of 2°C as the Government and the EU intend.
The Earth’s carbon “sinks” - forests and oceans - absorb about half of all human carbon emissions. About half of all carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution have been absorbed in this way. Emissions have increased by 40 per cent since the beginning of the period studied in 1981.
The effects of global warming are predicted to mean a disruption of weather and climate, more dryness in more regions, and yet more water in the oceans to start eating up land in islands and sea shores. In addition, changes in temperatures will bring about more glacier melt (threatening rivers that are the life blood of a nation). As per the last report, global warming is here and now, but there has to be a concerted effort to recognize the threat and make changes in the way we set free more greenhouse gases.
But, it is only when citizens get involved will this be taken seriously by nations outside the Kyoto pact (US, Australia, China, India, Russia, etc) and that are major contributors to global warming. On the plus side, companies who have taken efforts to reduce their fuel requirements by consuming at higher efficiencies have also realized that this saves them money as well.
