CO2 Levels In Atmosphere Increase At Dramatically Faster Rate

CO2 Levels Increasing Due To Human Activity

http://zfacts.com/p/194.html

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CO2 levels in atmosphere rising at dramatically faster rate. "Levels of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rose at a record-shattering pace last year, a new report shows, a surge that surprised scientists and spurred fears of an accelerated warming of the planet in decades to come. Concentrations of nearly all the major greenhouse gases reached historic highs in 2013, reflecting ever-rising emissions from automobiles and smokestacks but also, scientists believe, a diminishing ability of the world’s oceans and plant life to soak up the excess carbon put into the atmosphere by humans, according to data released early Tuesday by the United Nations’ meteorological advisory body." Joby Warrick in The Washington Post

As oceans suck up some of that CO2, ecosystems and fisheries may suffer. "One change the new report looks at in depth is ocean acidification....No matter how it’s calculated, oceans are keeping a substantial chunk of CO2 out of the atmosphere. However, that’s coming with the price of ocean acidification. The report says ocean acidification is happening at a rate unheard of in at least 300 million years, and just as alarming, that rate is projected to accelerate until at least mid-century. Acidification has wide-ranging consequences including wreaking havoc on coral reef ecosystems, weakening the shells of shellfish, negatively affecting fisheries and generally altering the ocean food chain." Brian Kahn in Climate Central.

PwC report says world losing ground on decarbonizing energy supply. "Almost 200 countries agreed at United Nations climate talks to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times to limit heat waves, floods, storms and rising seas from climate change. Temperatures have already risen by about 0.85 degrees Celsius. Carbon intensity will have to be cut by 6.2 percent a year to achieve that goal, the study said. That compares with an annual rate of 1.2 percent from 2012 to 2013. Grant said that to achieve the 6.2 percent annual cut would ‎require changes of an even greater magnitude than those achieved by recent major shifts in energy production in some countries." Ben Garside in Reuters.