• rekabis@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    2 months ago

    the atmospheric CO2 is still rising due to emissions from previous decades.

    Tell me you don’t understand atmospheric CO2 without saying you don’t understand it.

    Atmospheric CO2 represents the immediate, real-time, zero-delay composition of the atmosphere. As in, the current value is what currently exists.

    And an acceleration curve in that value means that CO2 production is still increasing. if the curve is curving up, more CO2 is being released today than had been released yesterday.

    https://lemmy.kya.moe/imgproxy?src=lemmy.ca%2fpictrs/image/f46a3bf9-388a-4cac-92ff-0604e402c291.png

    Once that curve points downwards over more than a year or so, then I will become cautiously optimistic. Until then, I will not submit myself to counterproductive hopium.

    • BrightCandle@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      2 months ago

      There is a slight complexity to this as methane breaks down into CO2 over a period of about 20 years, in the meantime it contributes a higher warming effect. But there is a measure called CO2e which is the equivalent including the other green house gases and it too has been accelerating so it doesn’t change the point its just there are some prior emission impacts on current CO2 in the atmosphere.

      • rekabis@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        1 month ago

        and it too has been accelerating so it doesn’t change the point its just there are some prior emission impacts

        Say you don’t understand emissions measuring without actually saying you don’t understand emissions measuring.

        Past emissions only place emissions up to a value. Current emissions are what determine whether our emissions output is continuing to accelerate, or are actually slowing down.

        And yesterday’s emissions continue to be smaller than today’s emissions. That is why it’s called accelerating emissions.

        • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 month ago

          And yesterday’s emissions continue to be smaller than today’s emissions. That is why it’s called accelerating emissions.

          Not necessarily true. According to the article, it’s quite possible that yesterday’s emissions are the same as today’s emissions. Meaning, we’ve stopped increasing emissions.

          • rekabis@lemmy.ca
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            1 month ago

            Until that graph curves over, it isn’t true.

            Evidence trumps wishes and fantasies. I refuse to get ensnared by hopium.

              • rekabis@lemmy.ca
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                1 month ago

                And predictions mean absolutely nothing until the evidence is in.

                Problem is, people frequently celebrate predictions, and build policy with those predictions. That’s called jumping the gun.

                • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  1 month ago

                  Keep your panties on, no one is making policy based on this report. At most, people are viewing it with cautious optimism.