Here's some news to brighten up your weekend: there's still a 50/50 chance that our planet's temperature won't rise more than two degrees Celsius, and we won't have to suffer the consequences of flooding, starvation, and animal extinction. But don't start celebrating yet--there's still plenty of work to be done.
A group from researchers at MIT used the university's Integrated Global Systems Model, a computer simulation of global economic developments and climate processes, to calculate hundreds of climate change scenarios. The results aren't surprising: the quick implementation of carbon-cutting policies now (read: at the upcoming Copenhagen 15 conference) can significantly cut the risk of a temperature increase. If carbon emissions are left unchecked, however, climate change will quickly spin out of control.
The simulation also shows that modest emission cuts can decrease the probability of extreme temperature change. That means even small changes by big industrial companies could help save the day.
There's no silver bullet with the climate change quandary, and even if we do everything right there is still a chance that our planet's temperature will go haywire. But at least now we know that it's worth trying--and that we all have something to gain at the COP15 conference.
[MIT]
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Recent Comments | 4 Total
October 5, 2009 at 9:32am by Edward Hooks
Will some PHD in any field of science or Mathematics please explain in laymans terms, how a fraction of 1% of the atmosphere is going to influence the temperature of the 99%?
This Climate Confusion has gone on long enough, CAP & TAX is about the TAX vehicle and has 0% chance of changing any weather patterns.
October 5, 2009 at 5:10pm by Mike Blankenship
I taught a course at college level that dealt with global warming for 2 years. If anyone would just research the facts, they would find that carbon dioxide is not a green house gas. Many researchers do not side with the UN on climate change. Our own orbiting data collection has not proven global warming. Our upper atmosphere is just as cold now as it was 50 years ago. This whole thing is about money and not our environment. I totally agree with Edward that Cap & Tax is about tax and not our environmental health. Some conservationists blur the line between global warming and air pollution. These are two separate issues, so don't be mislead.
October 5, 2009 at 5:10pm by Mike Blankenship
I taught a course at college level that dealt with global warming for 2 years. If anyone would just research the facts, they would find that carbon dioxide is not a green house gas. Many researchers do not side with the UN on climate change. Our own orbiting data collection has not proven global warming. Our upper atmosphere is just as cold now as it was 50 years ago. This whole thing is about money and not our environment. I totally agree with Edward that Cap & Tax is about tax and not our environmental health. Some conservationists blur the line between global warming and air pollution. These are two separate issues, so don't be mislead.
October 7, 2009 at 11:08am by David Schooley
@Mike: You're simply wrong. You should not be teaching anything dealing with global warming. Perhaps you should do some research.