While I have known for years that the numbers are
crucial, they have been neglected. I was delighted, therefore, that
McKibben brought the number back into focus. But most people do not
really understand what it is about. I wrote the following for our web
site in order to help people understand why going back to 350 ppm is
necessary. I'm sending it on to youid case it could be useful to
you.
Now, I am starting work on a short leaflet that should
explain global warming to the general public, with the hopes of getting
a few people wanting to do something about it. Also, it is my feeling,
that for an event to resonate, it has to be understood
first.
mkb,
Atlantic Chapter, New York
350.ORG
JOIN THE ATLANTIC CHAPTER IN THE
350.ORG MOVEMENT!
Forty four years ago President Lyndon Johnson's
advisory council warned that our green house gas emissions could
generate "marked changes in climate." That's 44 years of
research, special testifying before Congress etc. at huge annual
costs. Yet, even now, there is no substantive legislation to
reverse climate change. The House did not do it, and the Senate
will be a hard pull. The international meetings on Climate Change
sponsored by the UN are going to be difficult.
After 44 years of
political failure, the people must force their hand. We need a real
climate security bill in the Senate. We need to embolden President
Obama here at home and in Copenhagen. We need an international treaty in
Copenhagen with a plan to phase out fossil fuel emissions by
2030.
Whether we can do it or not is irrelevant. The
science tells us, we must.
Why? The bottom line is chemistry. The
chemical content of the atmosphere determines climate. It is measured in
parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere. We should all know 3
measures that describe climate. They are 280, 350 and 390. They
represent parts per million of CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere
and those numerical differences are life and death differences for all
that live on the planet.
The historic, pre-industrial 280 ppm is the foundation
upon which both life and civilization rests. It is the
number that gives the planet its best overall climate.. If we could go
back to 280 ppm it would be ideal.
At this time the atmosphere
contains 390 ppm of CO2, a consequence of industrialism. Human activity
is pouring another 3 ppm of CO2 into the atmosphere per year. We know
that we have stretched the rubber band too far and it has snapped
because the ice is melting, and it is melting at accelerating rates
everywhere. If the ice continues to melt humanity will lose
control of CO2 emissions and the planet will absorb so much heat that
warming will spin out of control. Climate feedbacks, already
activated, will be too monumental to reverse.
We can no longer
stop damaging climate change. But we can start major damage control. The
key is to reduce that 390 number substantially. This is why James
Hansen, our most eminent atmospheric scientist, says we must reverse
course immediately and go to 350 ppm. At this time, our best scientists
believe that 350 ppm is the upper limit for CO2 in the atmosphere for a
survivable climate.
As we know from the last 44 years, It won't
happen unless the people speak, and speak forcefully. We can do
that by joining Bill McKibben's movement: 350.org. In response to
350.org, people all over the world will be creating a visible action for
October 24th demonstrating the will of the people to start the process
of planet repair, whatever it takes. The timing is calculated to
influence the December International Climate Change conference in
Copenhagen.
The Global Warming Committee of the Atlantic Chapter
encourages everyone to google 350.org for more information. The
Chapter's Committee is planning a petition, an informational leaflet for
distribution, and suggestions for educational initiatives leading to the
24th of October. Join the Chapter in our goal to magnify the
international 350.org initiative.
Call us for petitions to
circulate, leaflets to distribute, and actions for the 24th of October
to join. (Should this be the Chapter office in Albany?)
Be sure
to explore:
www.realclimat.org,
www.zerocarbonbritain.com,
www.ageofstupid.net.
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