Posted on 01/11/2010 6:47:43 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) World leaders should focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible over the next 40 years to avoid perilous warming conditions, researchers said Monday.
In the first study of its kind, analysts used a detailed energy system model to analyze the relationship between emissions levels in 2050 and chances of achieving end-of-century targets of two or three degrees Celsius (3.5 or 5.5 Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial average.
UN climate talks in Copenhagen ended last month with a non-binding agreement to limit warming to two degrees Celsius but did not set binding targets to reduce the emissions of gases that scientists say are heating up the world's atmosphere to dangerous levels.
The study identified critical 2050 reductions that, if not met, could seriously complicate end-of-century targets with current energy sources.
Under one scenario, global emissions would need to be reduced by around 20 percent below 2000 levels by 2050 in order to meet the target.
A second case accounting for a more rapid increase in demand for land and energy would require far steeper 2050 reductions: 50 percent.
But the authors concluded that achieving these reductions was "barely feasible" with known energy sources.
"Even if we do everything possible to reduce emissions between now and 2050, we'd only have even odds of hitting the two-degree target -- and then only if we also did everything possible over the second half of the century too," said co-author Keywan Riahi, a researcher at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria.
Lead co-author Brian O'Neill of the National Center for Atmospheric Research noted that so long as an effective long-term strategy is adopted, emissions could be higher in 2050 than levels included in some proposals but still achieve the two-degree Celsius goal in the long term.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
More government funded nonsense. There’s no end to this crap!
single biggest source of warm air in the universe: the UN
In 51 years the temperature will be exactly 3.788 degrees above what it is today. Whanna bet?
Looks to me that we have already over corrected.
In 51 years the temperature will be exactly 3.788 degrees above what it is today. Whanna bet?
I say 4 degrees even.
3.5697020495867362348 degrees plus/minus .000000000000000001
All based on a constant, isothermic solar output. Idiots.
It’s a good idea to move one’s predictions out far enough such that the accuracy can not be determined until after one’s death.
These ridiculous time frames with such certain numbers never cease to amaze me. Generally if you pick up a first-year physics text, the first chapter will cover precision and significant figures. Stop at Chapter 1, add some common sense, and you know enough science to understand that these clowns are lying. No, they are not simply deluded or wrong. They whore themselves for the money.
Using a computer consisting of a broken toaster, etch-a-sketch, enigma keyboard and powered by a potato and two nails. Wow
Science marchs on.
Average Annual Temperatures:
Nashville 59.1
Memphis 62.3
I have no idea how people moving from Nashville to Memphis can possibly stand a nearly three degree rise in temperature! What a catastrophe of unimaginable magnitude for those poor souls.
We need to spend a trillion dollars to reduce the temperature difference between any pair of cities.
Yes I was looking forward to passing Al Gore’s point-of-no return in the next couple of years so he would shut up—we are all doomed anyway so what is the point?
That is funny. Do they not listen to themselves?
It is a combo of PHD welfare and the shakedown of industrialized countries by the third world countries.
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