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but human activity is increasing carbon emissions beyond what can be absorbed
by the earth
Human produced greenhouse gases are small compared to natural emissions: around 23 billion
tonnes of CO2 compared to 776 billion tonnes of CO2, a point often made by climate change
sceptics; however equally large amounts of CO2 are re-absorbed as part of the natural carbon cycle
around 788 billion tonnes a yearxi. Natural absorptions roughly balance natural emissions. What
human activity is doing is adding an extra layer of carbon emissions, only some of which are
absorbed by the oceans and land plants but around half of which remains in the air, trapping heat
and leading to global warming.
or the oceans
Rate of ocean acidification unpredented. CO2 dissolves in water to form a weak acid, and the oceans
have absorbed about a third of the CO2 resulting from human activitiesxii. Carbonic acid makes the
ocean's chemistry less hospitable for many forms of marine life. Ocean acidification is now
happening at an unprecedented speed, one far greater than previous mass extinctions in Earth's
history as a result of ocean acidificationxiii.
Climate change and mass extinctions have happened before but that leaves
leaves no room for complacency.
Detailed scientific evidence based on geological records shows that major climate change has
occurred in the past leading to mass extinctions of species (for example in the miocene period 16-14
million years agoxiv). The same evidence shows that this time round, it is human activity which is
responsible for climate change and it is happening at an unprecedented speedxv. Moreover,
references to past climate change and mass extinctions by sceptics is hardly re-assuring given that
current climate change poses an existential threat to humanity and other forms of life on earth.
The Royal Society of Science sets out human produced greenhouse gases which
includexvi:
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) the biggest contributor to global warming resulting from the
burning of fossil fuels, cement production, and deforestation
Nitrous oxide from agricultural fertilisers: Nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations have risen
primarily because of agricultural activities such as the use of nitrogen-based fertilisers and
land use changes.
Halocarbons, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) While Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), were
banned because of their impact on the Ozone layer, their replacements, along with other
halocarbons are also potent green house gases
Methane (CH4) levels have risen significantly since pre-industrial times due to human
activities such as raising livestock, growing paddy rice, filling landfills, and using natural gas
the risks posed by the consequences of climatic changes. Both approaches will be necessary,
because even if emissions of greenhouse gases were to suddenly stop, Earths surface temperature
would not cool and return to the level in the pre-industrial era for thousands of yearsxx.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stresses the need reduce human emissions by 4070% by the year 2050 compared to year 2010 levels if we are to keep global warming within the 2
degrees Centigrade above pre-industrial levels and avoid severe damage to natural and human
systems. Without more mitigation than is being done today, the temperature is more likely than not
to rise by 4 degrees C by 2100.
Adaptation measures include large-scale infrastructure changes such as building defences to
protect against sea-level rise or improving the quality of road surfaces to withstand hotter
temperatures as well behavioural shifts such as individuals using less water, farmers planting
different crops and more households and businesses buying flood insurance.
The Royal Society urges a co-ordinated response at the international level. Governments will be
more effective when they act together to build resilience; sharing expertise, co-ordinating policy
and pooling resources to confront common risks. To limit the need for costly disaster responses,
more national and international funds will need to be directed to measures that build resilience to
extreme weatherxxi.
Cultural change and political will
According to Naomi Klein, reliance on technical innovation and hoped-for low carbon technologies
as a solution to global warming and ecosystem collapse is a distraction: it will not happen while the
politics of human power and ideological road blocks of the free market stall any genuine attempt to
leverage low carbon technologies and ensure the much needed transition to a low carbon world.
The solution then is political and social and only mass social movements can save us now; from the
divestment movement and bold court challenges by Indigenous groups, to the hundreds of cities
and towns in Germany who are part of the renewable energy movementxxii.
What the climate change movement cannot do is isolate itself from what she calls the unfinished
liberation movements of both past and present that seek to tackle head on, the deep inequalities of
wealth that scar our societies and drive the destruction of the planet. Dangerous climate change,
ecosystem collapse and economic exploitation of people and planet all emerge out of the same
coherent world view and it is that world view that must be delegitimised.