Question about climate changes

[Kenny]

Methane, may have been more of an impact to climate change:

Melting ice sheets release tons of methane into the atmosphere, study finds

https://phys.org/news/2019-01-ice-sheets-tons-methane-atmosphere.html

The Greenland Ice Sheet emits tons of methane according to a new study, showing that subglacial biological activity impacts the atmosphere far more than previously thought.

Methane and climate change

Methane and climate change – Methane Tracker 2021 – Analysis - IEA

IMV, it could have a circular and increasing effect... More methane is released cause increase in temperature which melts more ice which releases more methane... and the circle continues.

What if, in times pass, natural causes made the glaciers melt making it warmer? It would explain whey Greenland actually had farmland where the glaciers have retreated.

 

[sayak83]

IMV, there is still much to learn. For an example:

View attachment 55465
The Earth's Climate in the Past | A Student's Guide to Global Climate Change | US EPA

As we can see, there has been previous climate changes but, according to this article:

"People didn't cause the climate change that occurred thousands or millions of years ago, so it must have happened for other natural reasons."

What are those natural causes? It doesn't mention but I'm sure there are a few theories. Are those natural causes still affecting today's climate change? Good question...

What is wrong with your CO2 plot....simply that the current concentration is 420 ppm and not 280 ppm as the plot shows. Here is the correct figure

As is clear we are way way past natural variability.

 

[Kenny]

What is wrong with your CO2 plot....simply that the current concentration is 420 ppm and not 280 ppm as the plot shows. Here is the correct figure

As is clear we are way way past natural variability.

I'm sorry, it isn't "my plot" - I am just quoting the points from reputable sources.

 

[sayak83]

I'm sorry, it isn't "my plot" - I am just quoting the points from reputable sources.

I meant the plot you posted.
Its obviously wrong/misleading for the reasons I told in the post.

 

[Heyo]

What are those natural causes? It doesn't mention but I'm sure there are a few theories. Are those natural causes still affecting today's climate change? Good question...

Which has been answered. One of the main reasons are the Milankovitch cycles - Wikipedia. And yes, they are effecting the climate today, just not nearly as strong as human activity. Temperature and CO2 rises in the past were gradual, over tens of thousands of years, not over decades like now.

 

[Heyo]

From what I read, volcanic activity actually cools the earth:
"While sulfur dioxide released in contemporary volcanic eruptions has occasionally caused detectable global cooling of the lower atmosphere, the carbon dioxide released in contemporary volcanic eruptions has never caused detectable global warming of the atmosphere"
Volcanoes Can Affect Climate

Contemporary volcanic eruptions are very short events which release more SO2 than CO2 and CO. Historic volcanic eruptions could last for millions of years like the Siberian Traps - Wikipedia and release more CO2, CO and methane.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Yes... but there are key words in these statement:

"has the potential" - does not translate into it did. Neither does "Has been proposed" doesn't translate into that it did...

Whereas "the carbon dioxide released in contemporary volcanic eruptions has never caused detectable global warming of the atmosphere" is empirical and verifiable evidence.

Regardless, we know carbon dioxide emissions result in a greenhouse effect, and with enough volcanic activity in conjunction with tectonic plate activity and the impacts on ocean currents and imbalances of carbon sinks that result from these, it is certainly possible.

The takeaway is that the current data is suggesting greenhouse gas impacts are erupting from human activity and not volcanoes.

 

[Kenny]

I found this to be an interesting read.
earths-self-regulation-of-carbon-dioxide-is-remarkably-stable

 

[Guitar's Cry]

I found this to be an interesting read.
earths-self-regulation-of-carbon-dioxide-is-remarkably-stable

Good reason to stop clearcutting tropical rainforests!

 

[Kenny]

Good reason to stop clearcutting tropical rainforests!

I love this model:
US Has More Trees Now Than 100 Years Ago - The Green Optimistic

"Thanks to decades of forest growth exceeding harvesting rates the US officially has more trees now compared to 100 years ago."

 

[Secret Chief]

We're turning it around then.

- Climate change: Fossil fuel production set to soar over next decade