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1981 Climate Impact of Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

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1981 Climate Impact of Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

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From 1960 to 1980 global temperature rose 0.2°C  which caused a warming of 0.4°C in the past century

The temperature increase is consistent with the calculated effect due to measured atmospheric carbon dioxide increases. "

Atmospheric carbon dioxide sources are both natural and human behavior, (fossil fuels)

The Prediction of the effects on the climate in the 21st century: “Drought-prone regions in North America and central Asia as part of a shifting of climate zones, erosion of the West Antarctic ice sheet with a consequent worldwide rise in sea level, and opening of the fabled Northwest Passage.”

https://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/1981/1981_Hansen_ha04600x.pdf

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The Government (George H. W. Bush)  vowed to fight the greenhouse effect with the “ “White House effect”

Founded the  United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — which still guides global climate action today. But has had very little impact on reducing CO2 emissions.

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Key Points of the testimony

The Earth is warmer than at any other time in recent history

Global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect, primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels and changes in the way we use land.

This greenhouse effect is causing extreme weather events more frequent and intense.

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Hansen’s strategy to keep the increase in global average temperatures well below 2°C was a creation of a “fee-and-dividend” system and the elimination of subsidies to the fossil-fuel industry.

Fossil-fuel companies would be charged a carbon fee. The carbon fee would be dollars per ton of carbon dioxide that would be emitted from the fuel.

100% of the fees collected would be distributed monthly as dividends or shares to the population on a per capita basis.

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An increase in the global average temperature of 2°C (3.6° F) is the tipping point with respect to climate change. It will lead to irreversible changes:

Melting a significant portion of the world’s ice which will cause portions of islands, and land to be below sea level.

Extreme weather events (droughts, storms, floods) will be far more common.

Extinction of plants and animals

Global food crop yields will decline.

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15 years (2012) after Hansen testified the world is no closer to reducing the greenhouse effect. There is "more than enough available fossil fuels" to generate emissions capable of causing "out-of-control amplifying feedbacks such as the ice sheets to shrink, the sea levels to rise and methane to be released from the permafrost.

Every year we wait to act, the ability to reverse the effects became harder. If we do not make changes, we will reach the irreversible tipping points in the climate system.