Global warming 'irreversible' for next 1000 years: study

[Newsbot]

WASHINGTON – Climate change is "largely irreversible" for the next 1,000 years even if carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions could be abruptly halted, according to a new study led by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The study's authors said there was "no going back" after the report showed that changes in surface temperature, rainfall and sea level are "largely irreversible for more than 1,000 years after CO2 emissions are completely stopped."

NOAA senior scientist Susan Solomon said the study, published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, showed that current human choices on carbon dioxide emissions are set to "irreversibly change the planet."

Researchers examined the consequences of CO2 building up beyond present-day concentrations of 385 parts per million, and then completely stopping emissions after the peak. Before the industrial age CO2 in Earth's atmosphere amounted to only 280 parts per million.

The study found that CO2 levels are irreversibly impacting climate change, which will contribute to global sea level rise and rainfall changes in certain regions.

The authors emphasized that increases in CO2 that occur from 2000 to 2100 are set to "lock in" a sea level rise over the next 1,000 years.

Rising sea levels would cause "irreversible commitments to future changes in the geography of the Earth, since many coastal and island features would ultimately become submerged," the study said.

Decreases in rainfall that last for centuries can be expected to have a range of impacts, said the authors. Regional impacts include -- but are not limited to -- decreased human water supplies, increased fire frequency, ecosystem change and expanded deserts.

Well, gang, you're screwed. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

[vynsane]

and unfortunately the GOP and its constituency will take this opportunity to say "well, then, what's all this environment fuss all about? fuck it! buy an SUV or two! drill, drill, drill!"

in fact, i'm not uncertain that this study was conducted by the oil company and auto manufacturer's lobbyist 'research groups'. there's a lot of power over people who believe things are futile. ask the borg... right, seven?

[jdr3]

heck with the winter the NE US has been having I wouldn't doubt the earth is trying a little "day after tomorrow action" right now. But really, did anybody think that decades, if not centuries of destroying a planet's atmosphere could be fixed quickly. Not that some things shouldn't be tried, but there ain't gonna be no instant gratification on this one. Heck, we're all screwed by what our parents did, whose to say what we do to reverse it doesn't screw our kids in the end. Simba knew it all, it's the motherf&#$ing circle of life.

[Diabolical]

And never mind the evidence that supports the fact that these environmental fluctuations (AKA Global Warming) are cyclical and have been happening for hundreds of thousands of years or more.

[Senor JabbaJohnL]

Except that, this time, the levels of CO2 are way, way higher than anything ever seen in the past. It is indeed a naturally occurring cycle but we've fucked it way up. And the fact that it's not reversible doesn't mean that we shouldn't stop fucking it up.

[jdr3]

Except that, this time, the levels of CO2 are way, way higher than anything ever seen in the past.

Yes and we know that because the cavemen depicted in the Gieco commercials let us know that cavemen knew how to calculate CO2 levels. The best part about science is that we claim something to be fact after we've actually made it up. It's kind of like the value of money... it all stems from the fact that we like shiny rocks.
I'm not saying we shouldn't try to do the right thing, but the past has shown us that there are always consequences. CF Lightbulbs: sure they last forever, but getting rid of them is going to be a heck of a lot worse for the environment. Electric cars/hybrids: what the fuck are their batteries going to do, just vanish in smoke when we decide to junk them. If we come up with another fuel source, I'm sure it will just be shown to cause another form of cancer while turning the sky canary yellow.

Welcome to pessimist world, feel free to take your shoes off.

[Senor JabbaJohnL]

Yes and we know that because the cavemen depicted in the Gieco commercials let us know that cavemen knew how to calculate CO2 levels.

Yes, that's exactly how they do it. They actually take samples from ice in Antarctica (or similar places) and can measure over time how much CO2 was in the air.

I know none of us here is going to actually make a significant different so it's not worth it on my part to get into a pissing contest, but I do think climate change shouldn't really be laughed off.

[anarky]

The problem comes when you combine how people have accelerated climate change with everything else we've done in our history to fuck the world.

Remember the dodos! For God's sake, won't someone please think of the dodos? (Okay, bad example. They were stupid and funny-looking. Except the one on Tiny Toons, who was funny and funny-looking.)

[jdr3]

I know none of us here is going to actually make a significant different so it's not worth it on my part to get into a pissing contest, but I do think climate change shouldn't really be laughed off.

You just hurt your own cause...you might as well be pissing to try to put the fire out that you just fueled.

And I ain't freakin' laughing it off...according to the original post it was about being upset that it's "irreversible for the next 1000 years" my posting was more about people thinking it should be fixed just because they started going on the newest fad. Hey look kids, pompadours are back in style, fuck the environment use aquanet.

And before you passive aggressively say you think I'm an ass, take a philosophy class while your in school and reread my post. When you think about it, what is science but a bunch of "rules" that a flawed existence made up, so is it perfect?

[vynsane]

oh, shit... bad connotations with that smiley around these parts

personally, my family tries to do everything we can to reduce the amount of garbage, pollution and emissions we create. we've started composting, we've installed a new high-efficiency heating system in the house, and we've reduced to only one car. we also recycle everything we possibly can. we probably only have one bag of garbage per week (not counting the dumpster full of construction garbage from the house, but we plan to offset that with a trip to a place that resells cabinets and fixtures and the like so they don't go to landfill when we are ready to redo the kitchen.)

basically, just because someone says something is almost futile doesn't mean it's true. if we all do our part maybe it will only take 998 years