Nope. My metaphor of compound interest was to explain why the RATE of increase is still increasing. That means that CO2 levels aren't just increasing, the rate of the increases are increasing. That is what acceleration means. This means that we are facing a hockey stick increase in CO2 levels. That isn't fanaticism, that is stating facts.
Think about this. Cisco increased its stock price for years prior to 1996. The increases were roughly in line with its rate of growth. Then from 1996 through early 2000, the rate of increase in their stock price accelerated until the stock chart resembled a hockey stick. It was an exponential curve. With exponential curbes, the rate of increase is itself increasing. That is what is happening with CO2 levels. That should scare the hell out of anyone, especially when you begin to realize that there is nothing that is aimed at slowing that acceleration down, much less aimed at reducing CO2 levels.
Look, here are the facts. Currently, CO2 levels are at 381 ppm (parts per million) in the atmosphere. In 1990, the CO2 levels were rising at the rate of 1.0 ppm per year. In 2005, the CO2 levels rose 2.6 ppm.
heatisonline.org
That means the rate of increase is itself increasing every year by about 0.1 ppm. At this rate of acceleration, CO2 levels will be the following:
2010 = 396 ppm
2020 = 433 ppm
2030 = 481 ppm
2040 = 539 ppm
2050 = 608 ppm
What will that do to temperature? I don't know what the regression model looks like since I don't have a corresponding statistically valid sample of temperatures to correlate to CO2 levels. However, my guess is that we can expect some pretty hefty temperature increases. Could average global temperatures increase by 10 degrees? It's quite possible. Are any of you willing or even able to live with the consequences? I doubt folks in living on land near the Gulf of Mexico will be, since they will experience Hurricane Katrina's just about every year. Water shortages, oceanic acidity, increasing spread of disease from the proliferation of pests and mosquitos, and you name it. This will not be a pleasant first half of the century. |
