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In order to illustrate the carbon problem confronting us, the best view is through a carbon funnel. As long as we pour CO2 into the atmosphere faster than mother nature can drain it out, the planet warms. That extra carbon takes a long time to drain out.
On an average we are pouring in 9.1 billion metric tons of CO2 a year into the funnel and draining out 5 billion metric tons of CO2 a year. Leaving 4.1 billion metric tons of CO2 a year in the carbon funnel.
In order to stop the rise of CO2, it will require huge cuts in emmissions from cars, power plants, and factories, until inflow no longer exceeds outflow.
" BUYERS BEWARE " The role of carbon trading as a carbon drain, should be voluntary regulated to serve as a genuine channel to aid in reducing the current level, above 350 ppm.
It should not be a loophole to allow the pollution to continue. James Hansen director of Nasa Goddard Institute for space studies drew the world attention on global warming through his testimony in Congress in 1988/89. Hansen in 2009 is of the opinion that a radical change should take place to address the issues on reduction and not use carbon offsets as a convenient excuse to continue polluting.
There are two school of thoughts in the carbon offset system,
- To save the existing rainforest by turning it into a platform for carbon offset to derive revenue for it's communities and micro economics through conservation. One of the first forest to be protected under this scheme is Ulu Masen, Acheh, Indonesia under a pioneering U.N program called REDD ( Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries ). It is offering a powerful financial incentive to keep forest intact.
- To plant fast growing carbon sequesters ( like giant bamboo ) in vaccant land to serve as carbon harvester. In so doing, create a new channel for carbon trading and income generators for rural communities and its micro economies. Small holders agriculture contribute to 35% to 45% of current global tropical deforestation. Logging contribution is 10% to 15%. A small but fast growing movement in this area is the bupeople LCX ( Langkawi Carbon Exchange ) which is focused on planting bamboo as sequester in vaccant/idle land and reforestation programs. It is important to note that giant bamboo performs at its optimum level as a sequester when grown alongside another tree and not through plantation mono cropping system. Our research derived from 109 hectare of giant bamboo planted in 1999/2000 at Bradwall Palm Oil Estate, Malaysia indicates this. The 2007 results revealed successful carbon CO2e yield through two planting methodologies. One as mono crop and secondly in unused palm oil plantation boundary land. The giant bamboo grown next to palm oil trees gave the highest CO2e yield. The research done by bupeople in the palm oil plantation further revealed that this marriage would work in favour of palm oil plantations as a sustainable source under GHG criteria adoption into the industry RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) P&C (Principles and Criteria). Under the current status of the plantation total supply chain the GHG criteria would deemed RSOP P&C as "not sustainable".
What if we stop increasing emissions?
Even at the current emissions rate, CO2 is released into the atmosphere nearly twice as fast as it is removed - so the bathtub will continue to fill.
How do we cause CO2, emissions?
Four-fifths is from burning fossil fuels. Nearly all the rest is from deforestation and other changes in land use.
How does CO2 cause warming?
It absorbs some of the heat radiation coming off earth's sunbaked surface and reradiates it back downwards.
Where does our CO2, go?
Plants and soil absorb about a third each year, and ocean surface waters about a quater. The rest stays airborne for a long time.
- 45% remains in the atmosphere
- 30% absorbed by plants and soils
- 25% absorbed by oceans
- 1% absorbed by sediments and rocks
How much is too much?
No one is sure. Some scientist think we need to reduce the CO2 level back down to 350 ppm (parts per million) equvalent to 745 billion metric tons of carbon - to avoid serious climate impacts.. But if currebt emissions trends continue, 450 ppm will be passed well before mid-century
Has't CO2 been this high before?
Not for at least 800,000 years, say the oldest air bubbles found in Antarctic ice cores and probably not for millions of years.
What if we stop emissions completely?
It will take centuries for plants and the ocean to soak up most of the human made CO2. It will take hundreds of millennia for the rest to be removed by rock weathering, which converts CO2 to carbonate sediments and rocks.
Why would the level stay high for so long?
Plants and soil absorb CO2 quickly but the carbon tub fills up fast. The deep ocean is bigger, but access is slow; CO2-laden surface water sinks at only two places near the Poles. Carbonate sediments and rocks are far bigger and slower still; they form at sea from elements weathered off rocks on land.
Source: John Sterman, MIT; David Archer, University of Chicago; Global Carbon Project
