At the start of 2019, the seasonally averaged CO2 concentration was 411 ppm, and at the end of 2023, it was 421 ppm. The rate of increase in the last decade was about 2ppm per year.
In the 1960s, the rate was only 0.5 ppm per year. It is absolutely sobering to realise that the restrictions due to COVID-19 did not make any meaningful difference.
This shows the magnitude of the task ahead to bring emissions down and eventually cause the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere to decline.
The latest climate papers argue that the hotter climate models that project a rise of 5 to 6 Degrees Celsius of the average global temperature for a doubling of the CO2 concentration are quite likely correct. This would indeed be a complete disaster for humanity and the ecosystems we depend on. We must do our utmost to mitigate climate change. The current political shift has destroyed what little we had in place to do so. This is completely indefensible.
I have a degree in Physics, spent years studying climate change, and just completed a PhD thesis on the topic. If readers have questions on climate change, feel free to join the Whiti Real Chat Facebook group, where I am happy to answer questions on anything related to climate change, from science to politics.
