Quote:
Originally Posted by photon
CO2 is a greenhouse gas, basic physics. Without the amount we have the average temperature on earth would be far lower. Ask Venus how things are going with its CO2.
|
Not sure we can call Venus a perfect comparable. They have lots of other gasses screwing things up and has a different construct than earth. Sure, it's the closest thing to earth in our solar system, but just because it is, doesn't mean we'll emulate it well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by photon
I mean it's really basic. Take billions of years worth of CO2 locked up in dead plants and animals, then release a significant portion of it in 1 millionth the time it took to make it. If I put all the garbage I've thrown out over 20 years and brought it back into my house for 1 second, that would have an impact on my house.
|
It's all about proportions though. If the house is the size of a small city, bringing in your garbage won't do much...however, if your house is a small loft, then it will.
Same goes with the earth. If the water vapour is a much bigger effect in the greenhouse effect than the CO2 by several orders of magnitude, then CO2 is pretty irrelevant (though that would raise the question of a snowball effect from excess H2O in the atmosphere). However, if the effect is pretty equal, then CO2 is a major driver and we need to stop real quick.
I certainly agree it wouldn't hurt humanity to shift to something new in the course of 100-200 years. It's just I'm not sure we have the backing to state how key CO2 is in all of this yet...especially when so many reports are contradictory as to what is driving it (there are reports that say water vapour is a better way to analyze global temperature, there are some which say CO2...and the differences in ratio aren't comparable to that of combustion effects).