Climate Change
Out of context: Reply #180
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- kingsteven2
The world is on lockdown. So where are all the carbon emissions coming from?
https://grist.org/climate/the-wo…
In a sad irony, the decrease in air pollution may make it even hotter. Veerabhadran Ramanathan, a professor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at University of California, San Diego, explained that many polluting particles have a “masking” effect on global warming, reflecting the sun’s rays, canceling out some of the warming from greenhouse gas emissions. With that shield of pollution gone, Ramanathan said, “We could see an increase in warming.”
Appreciate the bluer skies and fresher air, while you can. But the emissions drop from the pandemic should be a warning, not a cause for celebration: a sign of how much further there is to go.
- Oh for fuck’s sake, we can’t catch a break!Gnash
- heh, i thought that was a good follow up to the article you posted gnash... 5.5% reduction from lockdown but 7.5% annual reduction required ooftkingsteven
- the whole opposite effect of the air clearing up... if it’s dirty it traps heat, if it’s clean it lets more heat in. Soooo, now what?Gnash
- Good article, though.Gnash
- there was a paper last week that suggested that the relationship between air pollution and covid isn't that peoples lungs are damaged/ more susceptiblekingsteven
- but that the virus is suspended for longer and travels further by surfing the particulate matter in the air. so maybe a small R0 reduction from that and a smallkingsteven
- reduction from higher temps may at least help in the short term. if anything this crisis in general shows us how much can change in a short period.kingsteven