Climate Change - it's nothing new

[Roscoe]

We are led to believe that climate change is a phenomenon of the 21st century but the climate has been changing centuries before today.      

Ever since the industrial revolution (from 1760 to about 1840) glaciers throughout the world have been shrinking at an increased rate.   And glaciers make up 70% of our fresh water supply.

So as you can see, climate change has been happening for some time.

I'm certain that you have seen video of large chunks of ice falling off a glacier into the sea. For some strange reason, that is called calving.

Just thought that you would like to know.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Hmmmm.

Two things - happening since the industrial revolution? Yes. Exactly.

And the other - during previous really serious climate change events there were little or no human populations around to be affected. Just about everything we do is directly affected by climate variations. So, as a species, climate change is for us, an existential threat to our survival.

But hey, it's nothing new.

[harm_less]

Nothing new but the extent to which it is changing is very concerning. We now have atmospheric CO2 level at their highest level in over 800,000 years. From this study: https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/p...uestion-7/

"For earlier geological times, CO2 concentrations and temperatures have been inferred from less direct methods. Those suggest that the concentration of CO2 last approached 400 ppm about 3 to 5 million years ago, a period when global average surface temperature is estimated to have been about 2 to 3.5°C higher than in the pre-industrial period. At 50 million years ago, CO2 may have reached 1000 ppm, and global average temperature was probably about 10°C warmer than today. Under those conditions, Earth had little ice, and sea level was at least 60 metres higher than current levels."

Also the correlation between CO2 levels and Antarctic temperature data sets it is worth noting that the temperature rise lags behind CO2 levels so we've probably got plenty of temerature increase already preloaded already, which of course equates to sea level rise still to occur.

[Kenj]

I know it's not relevant but CO2 for aerating beer is in short supply and as a result the price has gone up by 6 times

Ken

[harm_less]

I know it's not relevant but CO2 for aerating beer is in short supply and as a result the price has gone up by 6 times

Ken

Some of the CO2 content of natural gas is captured and refined for food, medical and other uses. That's the cheapest way of sourcing CO2 and the price rise recently is due to having to import it while that part of Todd's Kapuni gas facility is down for maintenance.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Ask yourself, if the sea level was 60m higher round your way, than it is now, could you live there? Could the industry, agriculture, and retail that supports you be there?

A fair few people are dealing with just this challenge right now. Their local world is being flooded out of existence. And insurance won't compensate them.

Could you handle that challenge?