What is not being expressed by the media with sufficient emphasis is the escalating climate change fires that are now burning around the world and getting larger every year. The fires are indeed another tipping point that will cause the planet's temperatures to rise significantly on top of the escalation currently underway with fossil fuels. I am not sure that these fires and other tipping points such as CO2 emission from decaying plastics or CO2 releases from permafrost were ever in the models used by scientist to calculate the 1.5 or 2-degree estimate. However without these tipping points, we are on a trajectory to blow past 2 degrees at the moment, and there may well be a host of tipping points that have not yet been considered.
What I don't understand is why the media both public and private is still talking in such careful tones. They should be, given what is going on, ringing alarm bells and headlining these issue one after another every evening as the significants of this is far higher than most of the political controversies that are going at the moment. These stories are not really about the weather or whose house burned down it is about the planet burning down.
What I don't understand is why the media both public and private is still talking in such careful tones. They should be, given what is going on, ringing alarm bells and headlining these issue one after another every evening as the significants of this is far higher than most of the political controversies that are going at the moment. These stories are not really about the weather or whose house burned down it is about the planet burning down.
California Fire Impact on Climate
The fires burning around the globe represent another tipping point that will accelerate climate change. During the burning process that occurs in forest fires, 15% of the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the remaining stored carbon is released slowly over the next decade as the fire debris decays. So the remaining 85% of the carbon will continue to be released over the next 10 to 15 years.
If we take just California's annual carbon release from their fires, putting aside that 2018's fires are far larger than previous fires, the emission of carbon from these fires alone is equivalent to 8 million passenger vehicles driven for one year. However, when you factor in the after fire carbon release then the figure is 19 million additional cars on the road.
The Siberian Fires burning in the have reached a point of 10 million acres and are burning out of control with no hope of containing them. In addition to the severe impact on the climate the fires also contain an impact on human health NASA has expressed it as follows: Naturally burning timber and brush from wildfires release dangerous particles into the air at a rate three times as high as levels known by the EPA, researchers at Georgia Tech found. The study also found wildfires spew methanol, benzene, ozone and other noxious chemicals. Residents that smell smoke or see haze in the air should take precautions against breathing too much of it and stay tuned to local air quality information.
If we take just California's annual carbon release from their fires, putting aside that 2018's fires are far larger than previous fires, the emission of carbon from these fires alone is equivalent to 8 million passenger vehicles driven for one year. However, when you factor in the after fire carbon release then the figure is 19 million additional cars on the road.
Fort McMurray Fire Impact on Climate
The massive fires in Fort McMurray Alberta in 2016 released 41 megatonnes of CO2 but it was a mixture of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. To put that in perspective the none fire or land use release of greenhouse gas emissions in 2014 by Canada was 732 megatons, and of course, the current emissions are higher and escalating. Keep in mind the Fort McMurray figure does not include the other 85% carbon release that will occur over the next 10-15 years.2017 British Columbia Forest Fire
In 2017 British Columbia had its largest forest fire season on record, and 2018 is likely to be larger. In 2017 the initial 15% release by August was 190 million tonnes of greenhouse gases which is triple its annual carbon footprint. It was expected to be another 20% before the fire season was over. |
| Natural Resources Canada |
Siberian Fires Smoke Reaches Canada with Health Risks
 |
| NASA Image |
The Siberian Fires burning in the have reached a point of 10 million acres and are burning out of control with no hope of containing them. In addition to the severe impact on the climate the fires also contain an impact on human health NASA has expressed it as follows: Naturally burning timber and brush from wildfires release dangerous particles into the air at a rate three times as high as levels known by the EPA, researchers at Georgia Tech found. The study also found wildfires spew methanol, benzene, ozone and other noxious chemicals. Residents that smell smoke or see haze in the air should take precautions against breathing too much of it and stay tuned to local air quality information.
Feedback Loop
The research scientist at the Canadian Forest Service commented on the increasing amount of greenhouse gas release from fires as a dangerous "feedback loop." Climate change will continue to increase and accelerate as a result of increased fires and the lengthening of the fire season. This, in turn, will create even longer and more intense fire seasons around the world.Reference
As California burns, climate goals may go up in smoke — even after the flames are out
Carbon release in wake of Fort McMurray wildfire spikes greenhouse gasses
'It's alarming': Wildfire emissions grow to triple B.C.'s annual carbon footprint
Smoke from Siberian Fires Reach Canada
BC wildfires caused in part by and contributing to climate change
B.C.’S Greenhouse Gas Emissions Have RISEN IN FOUR OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Carbon release in wake of Fort McMurray wildfire spikes greenhouse gasses
'It's alarming': Wildfire emissions grow to triple B.C.'s annual carbon footprint
Smoke from Siberian Fires Reach Canada
BC wildfires caused in part by and contributing to climate change
B.C.’S Greenhouse Gas Emissions Have RISEN IN FOUR OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS
No comments:
Post a Comment