Passing the Carbon Threshold Gives the Planet a Grim Future That’s Almost Impossible to Reverse

HAWAII – Mauna Loa Observatory measured the carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth’s atmosphere crossed 400 parts per million (PPM). The CO2 level in the atmosphere’s effects would be an almost impossible task to reverse for centuries to come. It is a ghastly milestone that everyone should fear.

This would be the first time that the CO2 levels in September crossed the 400 ppm. September normally is the month that reflects global CO2 levels in their lowest during a year.

Scripps Institute for Oceanography head of the CO2 monitoring program, Ralph Keeling wrote that it would be “almost impossible” to drop below the 400 ppm till the end of the year. Keeling said, “Brief excursions toward lower values are still possible. But it already seems safe to conclude that we won’t be seeing a monthly value below 400 ppm this year – or ever again for the indefinite future.”

From the time of the industrial revolution, the CO2 in the atmosphere has been increasing at a constant pace. It is however the first time after millions of years that the CO2 level has crossed the 400 ppm.

David Block from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the Stony Brook University said that the Earth had crossed the 400 ppm mark about 3.5 million years ago. At that time, the climate of the planet was different from what we currently have. During those time, the Arctic was warmer and the global sea level was about 15–90 feet higher.

Black pointed out that the CO2 levels even dip to 280 ppm before the industrial revolution began. He said, “One of the things that really concerns climate scientists is we as humans have taken only a few centuries to do what nature took millions of years. Most of that change was just in the last 50-60 years”

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