Greenhouse gases causing huge ocean acidification

The increased emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) are not only contributing to global temperature increase but also cause huge ocean acidification.

According to the latest study by the University of Hawaii man-made carbon emissions have been main factor behind the increased acidity in our oceans. In fact, man-made carbon emissions over the last 100 to 200 years have raised ocean acidity far beyond the range of natural variations.

Ocean acidification is enormous threat to marine life because it impairs the ability of marine organisms such as corals and mollusks to form their skeletons or shells, and these marine organisms play key role in enabling the proper functioning of marine food chain.

If ocean acidification continues world will soon experience huge biodiversity loss in our oceans and seas. This is because such rapid increase in acidity leaves very little time for marine species to adapt.

The natural rate of change in climate has always left enough time for many species to adapt but this is no case with man-made climate change. The researcher Tobias Friedrich at the the International Pacific Research Center, University of Hawaii explained this by saying that "when Earth started to warm 17,000 years ago, terminating the last glacial period, atmospheric CO2 levels rose from 190 parts per million (ppm) to 280 ppm over 6,000 years. Marine ecosystems had ample time to adjust. Now, for a similar rise in CO2 concentration to the present level of 392 ppm, the adjustment time is reduced to only 100 – 200 years."

The only way to stop further ocean acidification is to drastically reduce the amount of carbon emissions on global level and this can be achieved only with very strict international climate deal. Judging by the latest climate change talks new climate deal is very low on political agenda of world leaders, well behind global financial woes that seem to be taking all the attention.

We can’t hide from climate change

Sadly we can’t hide from climate change and our only chance is to try to slow it.

Slowing climate change is lot easier to say than done, particularly without the legally binding international climate deal that would force countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide emissions as the result of excessive fossil fuel burning.

World needs fossil fuels to satisfy ever growing demand for energy and renewable energy sector (despite achieving huge growth in the last couple of years) is still way off from being able to successfully replace fossil fuels on global scale.

As long as world heavily relies on fossil fuels we won't see any significant change in our fight against climate change and we won't be able to prevent a 2C temperature increase seen by many scientists as the point of no return, where climate change will completely run out of control.

The world has already reached the point where political leaders must think about the possible solutions to adapt to climate change instead of just delaying the necessary action for better times. Without the immediate action better times will never come and entire humanity will have to face an uphill task of living together with climate change.

You know that old saying „ you can run but you can't hide“? The same can be applied with climate change. We can run from the truth and pretend like climate change is some imaginary tale invented by environmentalists and burry our head in the sand and pretend like this doesn’t concern us but once climate change starts showing its scary face we won't be able to hide from it because it will affect our entire planet.

In other words, do nothing and the doomsday awaits…

Greenhouse gases will postpone next ice age

The increased amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide is a main factor behind the ongoing climate change issue. According to a recent study published in a journal Nature Geoscience the increased amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will also postpone the coming of next ice age on Earth.

The scientists estimate that so far there have been at least five ice ages in Earth's past. Term ice age refers to a certain period characterized by a long-term reduction in the earth's surface and atmospheric temperature, which represents ideal conditions for the growth of ice sheets and glaciers.

Our planet is currently in so called interglacial period which started 10,000-15,000 years ago. The end of this period and new ice age are expected in around 1,500 years time, if atmospheric concentrations of main greenhouse gas – carbon dioxide (CO2), do not exceed 240 parts per million by volume (ppmv).

The current concentrations of CO2 are somewhere around 390 ppmv, and keeping that level of CO2 emissions or increasing it will postpone the coming of new ice age.

While the fact that the next ice age will be postponed looks like good news, everything else about climate change and global warming looks negative.

The scientists say we should limit the global temperature rise to within 2 degrees Celsius in order to avoid major climate change threats such as extreme weather events and sea level rise. However, world is doing very little to achieve this goal because fossil fuels are still being heavily used all across the globe, and there also seems to be no chance for any meaningful climate change agreement in near future.

Climate change - Nothing will change in 2012?

The world leaders still haven't agreed to commit to major greenhouse gas emission cuts and without this type of legal agreement world doesn't stand a chance in fight against global warming and climate change.

Every new year without the major cuts in emissions brings us one step closer to a climate change tipping point, a 2C temperature increase, seen by many scientists as the point of no return and a ticket to a worst possible climate change scenario.

The scenario that involves frequent extreme events, floods, drought, new diseases, many extinct species, and more hunger in the world. Sadly this scenario doesn't seem to be enough for world leaders to act quickly as they are constantly delaying actions for "better days".

These days world is more worried about major financial uncertainties connected with United States and EU, and world leaders are yet again giving all their attention to global financial woes, leaving very little room for global environmental issues on their political agenda.

It's like they are hoping that climate change issue will solve itself without their intervention and without major cuts in emissions. They are still not aware that climate change is no longer just a environmental issue but also social and economic issue that could forever change the future of our civilization.

All hope is still not lost though there's very little of it still left among the most incurable optimists. We are gambling with the future of our planet and the stakes are really high. The political bluff is no longer enough to win the pot with such high stakes.