Climate change - Greenhouse Gas emission data is absolute and unambiguous

Figure A

Note to Figure A: Climatic response time series from 1979 to the present [IPCC data] The rates shown in the panels are the decadal change rates for the entire ranges of the time series. These rates are in percentage terms, except for the interval variables (d, f, g, h, i, k), where additive changes are reported instead. For ocean acidity (pH), the percentage rate is based on the change in hydrogen ion activity, aH+ (where lower pH values represent greater acidity). The annual data are shown using gray points. The black lines are local regression smooth trend lines [authors William J Ripple, Christopher Wolf, Thomas M Newsome, Phoebe Barnard, William R Moomaw et al].

In November 2019, a call to action was issued by 11,258 scientists following the publication of new data (in the professional journal, Bioscience) demonstrating rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, global temperature increases with a range of corresponding impacts on the planet. This is not the first time such an unequivocal message has been delivered with a similar one being issued in 2017 but alas, insufficient action and business-as-usual has continued. Of particular concern -

• despite solar and wind energy consumption increasing by 373% per decade, it is still 28 times smaller than fossil fuel usage
• fossil fuel subsidies continue to energy companies and amount to a staggering US $400 billion in 2018
• the three abundant atmospheric greenhouse gases (CO2, Methane and Nitrous Oxide) continue to increase:  CO2 by 4.98%, Methane by 3.65% and Nitrous Oxide by 2.46% over the previous 10 year period
• global surface temperature has been increasing by 0.183C over the ten year period and faster than had been previously predicted
• ice has been disappearing: Arctic sea ice decreased by -11.7%, Greenland ice mass by -2610 gigatonnes, Antarctic ice mass -1230 gigatonnes
• ocean heat and acidity has increased with acidity by +4.12%

Depite the 1992 Rio Summit, the 1997 Kyoto Agreement, the 2015 Paris Agreement and numerous UN COP meetings, there has been insufficient action and progress with decarbonising or moving to low carbon renewable energy sources.

The articles can be accessed at these links -

Bioscience article 2019 World Scientists' Warning of a Climate Emergency

Bioscience Vol 67 No 12 2017 World Scientists Warning to humanity