How did global warming come about, as the experts say? Based on data averages from various reputable scientific organizations' studies (website sources), hordes of scientists (and now the author) envision the following cause and effect scenarios that may lead to a nightmarish end for all life on Earth within a few decades, unless appropriate action is made by all capable humans starting now:
1. Almost a trillion tons of greenhouse gases now blanket our planet. From 1750s to present, the world's factories, power plants, steel mills, transports, etc. have used coal and hydrocarbons as fuel. These days, their combined emissions (largely carbon dioxide or CO2) have been estimated by scientists at a low 550 billion tons to a high 1.5 trillion tons, or mid-range 720 billion tons and rising. The heat-absorbing gases have stayed within Earth's atmosphere and will likely remain for thousands or millions of years (as in planet Mars), or disappear to pre-industrial levels depending on what humans will presently do.
2. The blanket of CO2 and lesser volumes of methane and other gases have been trapping the sun's heat. Consequent increased evaporation of Earth's surface waters have formed a blanket of water vapor that multiplied CO2 heat around five times. Average world temperatures have thus risen by 1 deg.C or so above 13.7 deg.C pre-industrial (1700s) levels. Without climate change mitigation, temperatures are expected to rise to a disastrous 2 deg.C above pre-industrial, and onward to a humanity-roasting, extinction level 6 deg.C. Reason: planet-scale volumes of methane, which is 25 times more heat-trapping than CO2, have been and still are being released by frigid zone ice melted by global warming. Rates of release are expectantly geometric, which means end of times for all earthly lives within mere decades!
3. Atmospheric water vapor serves as main source of global warming. As previously described, current high air temperatures are 80% caused by hot water vapor trapped between clouds and Earth's surface. Clouds reflect part of the sun's heat (a cooling effect) but shields hot water vapor from the major portion of solar radiation. Solar heat spreads out all around clouded or cloudless areas thru solar radiation and convection by heat-agitated water vapor, CO2 and other gases, as well as by forest fires and the constant burning of fossil fuels. Heated land masses (especially cities) reflect solar radiation to the atmosphere and create a lingering heat convection effect, further raising water vapor heat (humidity) especially in the tropics.
4. CO2 and methane prolong atmospheric heat. Clouds and water vapor come and go thru evaporation and condensation, their masses staying in the atmosphere within days, but methane stays for 12 years or so and thereafter degrades to CO2 and water vapor. CO2 and nitrous oxide (a trace greenhouse gas) stay over centuries, with only minimal CO2 absorbed by certain terrestrial minerals As human industries keep spewing more of such long-lived gases, heated water vapor cycles maintain and raise atmospheric heat on continuing basis.
How do we end the resultant planet-scale scourges? Fundamentally, humanity has to quickly sequester a major portion of the 700+ billion tons of Earth's long-resident atmospheric CO2. Concurrently humans have to greatly restrict some 36-40 million tons more CO2 that world industries and transports generate each year. Here are environmentalists' ways on how to do it: a) re-green all denuded tropical lands thru world-scale agro-forestry; b) reduce coal and petrochemical fuels to barest minimum, replacing them with electric power from hydro, geothermal, wind, solar, ethanol and other clean power sources; c) revive sagging marine phytoplankton populations which had been providing Earth with most of its oxygen while absorbing some 70% of its atmospheric CO2 during pre-industrial times; d) develop clean and green industrial technologies.
As one may surmise, such planet-scale efforts will require all of skilled humanity to plan and execute. How? The best way is to use the profit motive as action driver. In other words, all involved must ensure that everyone who participates in cleaning and greening our planet earns good income out of it. Throughout history, the profit motive has driven all humanity towards wealth-creating action. These times, wealth-creation should be based on clean and green technologies. This blog tells exactly how.
1. Almost a trillion tons of greenhouse gases now blanket our planet. From 1750s to present, the world's factories, power plants, steel mills, transports, etc. have used coal and hydrocarbons as fuel. These days, their combined emissions (largely carbon dioxide or CO2) have been estimated by scientists at a low 550 billion tons to a high 1.5 trillion tons, or mid-range 720 billion tons and rising. The heat-absorbing gases have stayed within Earth's atmosphere and will likely remain for thousands or millions of years (as in planet Mars), or disappear to pre-industrial levels depending on what humans will presently do.
2. The blanket of CO2 and lesser volumes of methane and other gases have been trapping the sun's heat. Consequent increased evaporation of Earth's surface waters have formed a blanket of water vapor that multiplied CO2 heat around five times. Average world temperatures have thus risen by 1 deg.C or so above 13.7 deg.C pre-industrial (1700s) levels. Without climate change mitigation, temperatures are expected to rise to a disastrous 2 deg.C above pre-industrial, and onward to a humanity-roasting, extinction level 6 deg.C. Reason: planet-scale volumes of methane, which is 25 times more heat-trapping than CO2, have been and still are being released by frigid zone ice melted by global warming. Rates of release are expectantly geometric, which means end of times for all earthly lives within mere decades!
3. Atmospheric water vapor serves as main source of global warming. As previously described, current high air temperatures are 80% caused by hot water vapor trapped between clouds and Earth's surface. Clouds reflect part of the sun's heat (a cooling effect) but shields hot water vapor from the major portion of solar radiation. Solar heat spreads out all around clouded or cloudless areas thru solar radiation and convection by heat-agitated water vapor, CO2 and other gases, as well as by forest fires and the constant burning of fossil fuels. Heated land masses (especially cities) reflect solar radiation to the atmosphere and create a lingering heat convection effect, further raising water vapor heat (humidity) especially in the tropics.
4. CO2 and methane prolong atmospheric heat. Clouds and water vapor come and go thru evaporation and condensation, their masses staying in the atmosphere within days, but methane stays for 12 years or so and thereafter degrades to CO2 and water vapor. CO2 and nitrous oxide (a trace greenhouse gas) stay over centuries, with only minimal CO2 absorbed by certain terrestrial minerals As human industries keep spewing more of such long-lived gases, heated water vapor cycles maintain and raise atmospheric heat on continuing basis.
How do we end the resultant planet-scale scourges? Fundamentally, humanity has to quickly sequester a major portion of the 700+ billion tons of Earth's long-resident atmospheric CO2. Concurrently humans have to greatly restrict some 36-40 million tons more CO2 that world industries and transports generate each year. Here are environmentalists' ways on how to do it: a) re-green all denuded tropical lands thru world-scale agro-forestry; b) reduce coal and petrochemical fuels to barest minimum, replacing them with electric power from hydro, geothermal, wind, solar, ethanol and other clean power sources; c) revive sagging marine phytoplankton populations which had been providing Earth with most of its oxygen while absorbing some 70% of its atmospheric CO2 during pre-industrial times; d) develop clean and green industrial technologies.
As one may surmise, such planet-scale efforts will require all of skilled humanity to plan and execute. How? The best way is to use the profit motive as action driver. In other words, all involved must ensure that everyone who participates in cleaning and greening our planet earns good income out of it. Throughout history, the profit motive has driven all humanity towards wealth-creating action. These times, wealth-creation should be based on clean and green technologies. This blog tells exactly how.
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