[MCN] National Geographic : "The decade we finally woke up to climate change, " and the many, many effects

[Lance Olsen]

National Geographic  PUBLISHED DECEMBER 12, 2019

The decade we finally woke up to climate change
The last 10 years have shown that climate change is happening now and could get much worse.

BY ALEJANDRA BORUNDA
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/12/the-decade-we-finally-woke-up-to-climate-change/ <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/12/the-decade-we-finally-woke-up-to-climate-change/>

Opening paragraphs

This decade, many people around the world woke up to a grim reality: Climate change is here, it’s happening now, and it could very easily get much, much worse.

These 10 years were punctuated by a series of deadly, dramatic, devastating events. Hurricanes like Sandy, Maria, and Harvey fundamentally changed the communities they barreled into, leaving behind scars that have yet to heal. Stronger and stronger heat waves forced communities across the country and world into dangerous swelter. Wildfires tore up hundreds of thousands of acres in a flash.

Climate records fell left and right. Hottest-ever year for the planet’s atmosphere? Check. Hottest-ever year for its oceans? Also check. Puny, unprecedentedly tiny stretches of Arctic sea ice? Check, check, check.

The underlying force beneath the changes is indisputable. Steadily increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/greenhouse-gases/>, caused primarily by humans burning fossil fuels, are trapping extra heat near Earth’s surface. That warms Earth as a whole. The outcome is both straightforward—a hotter planet—and incredibly complex, as changes cascade through the oceans, atmosphere, soil, rocks, trees, and every living thing on the planet.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/12/the-decade-we-finally-woke-up-to-climate-change/ <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2019/12/the-decade-we-finally-woke-up-to-climate-change/>



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Domino effect could heat up Earth by 5 degrees Celsius  <https://www.dw.com/en/domino-effect-could-heat-up-earth-by-5-degrees-celsius-despite-paris-climate-deal/a-44968248>
https://www.dw.com/en/domino-effect-could-heat-up-earth-by-5-degrees-celsius-despite-paris-climate-deal/a-44968248 <https://www.dw.com/en/domino-effect-could-heat-up-earth-by-5-degrees-celsius-despite-paris-climate-deal/a-44968248>

Aug 6, 2018 ... Even if the Paris agreement is successfully implemented, the planet could still heat up by 5 degrees Celsius, scientists warn.

The lead authors say:

“Our study suggests that human-induced global warming of 2 degrees Celsius may trigger other Earth system processes, often called 'feedbacks,' that can drive further warming — even if we stop emitting greenhouse gases.” 

And:
“These tipping elements can potentially act like a row of dominos. Once one is pushed over, it pushes Earth toward another. It may be very difficult or impossible to stop the whole row of dominoes from tumbling over.” 


The above referenced PNAS article:
Steffen, Rockström et al. Trajectories of the Earth System in the Anthropocene. PNAS August 2018. [Open access]
http://www.pnas.org/content/early2018/07/31/1810141115 <http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/07/31/1810141115>
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