12 ms·
Don't forget the feedback loops that adds even more carbon, like permafrost thawing and more frequent/extended forest fires. Even if we stop extracting and burn
by gmuslera 5y ago
Don't forget the feedback loops that adds even more carbon, like permafrost thawing and more frequent/extended forest fires. Even if we stop extracting and burning fossil carbon, still new carbon will be keep being added to the carbon cycle, more each year, due to global warming that seem to have the biggest temperature anomalies around the Arctic. And there are others that slow down the cycle of carbon, like carbon sinks becoming less effective or even turn into net emitters.
It is not possible to just push the brakes and expect an immediate result, the extra carbon that is in the atmosphere will continue warming the planet and the actual warming will fuel positive feedback loops that will make things even worse (and they are not limited to just melting ice).
And, of course, things will keep getting far worse as much as we delay doing something significant in this area.