{"id":696,"date":"2021-05-18T18:00:59","date_gmt":"2021-05-18T22:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ajeziorski.ca\/podcast\/?p=696"},"modified":"2024-01-28T11:19:21","modified_gmt":"2024-01-28T16:19:21","slug":"31-the-unbleakness-of-climate-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ajeziorski.ca\/podcast\/31-the-unbleakness-of-climate-change\/","title":{"rendered":"31: The Unbleakness of Climate Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“The planet isn\u2019t going anywhere; we are!” – George Carlin<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Topical Paleolimnology arc<\/a> concludes with a look at the most topical topic of our time. No, not the COVID-19 pandemic<\/a>. Climate change<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate change is an omnipresent issue that has featured prominently in several past episodes (e.g. Popular Paleolimnology<\/a>, No Plan(et) B<\/a>, and Cyanobacterial Blooms<\/a>); however, we\u2019ve likely referred to it in some way in every episode to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Climate change dwarfs other societal problems<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So, what exactly is climate change? Although familiar territory for regular listeners, the term refers to effects associated with the increasing concentration of CO2<\/sub> in the Earth\u2019s atmosphere. The increasing trend was first documented in 1958 by Charles David Keeling<\/a> and the graph showing the accumulation of atmospheric CO2<\/sub> over time has become known as the Keeling Curve<\/a>. This accumulation is primarily associated with industrial emissions – essentially burning things. The additional CO2<\/sub> has an insulating effect on the planet, letting heat in, but preventing its escape, resulting in the planet getting warmer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Keeling Curve<\/a>: Measurements of atmospheric CO2<\/sub> concentrations at Mauna Loa, Hawaii<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The terminology used to describe the accumulation of CO2<\/sub> has changed over time. Back in the 1980s, the phrase \u2018Greenhouse Effect\u2019 was used, this was replaced by \u2018Global Warming\u2019, and more recently as \u2018Climate Change\u2019 (if not the \u2018Climate Crisis\u2019). This re-branding was to better describe the collected issues, as concerns are not limited to temperature alone, but also the variety of impacts rising temperatures have on global climate patterns due to the many positive feedback loops involved. For example, as ice in polar regions melts, the water or land that becomes exposed is darker and less reflective than the snow and ice, absorbing more heat, and increasing the rate of warming further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Google NGram<\/a> comparing use of the terms \u2018greenhouse effect\u2019, \u2018global warming\u2019, and \u2018climate change\u2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Atmospheric CO2<\/sub> concentrations are not only rising, the rate of the rise is also increasing, and has recently reached levels never before experienced by humans. For context, when Adam was born the concentration was 333 ppm. When Josh was born it was 346 ppm. Today, it is 414 ppm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many nightmare scenarios are associated with runaway climate warming, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n