Climate experts warn that need for action is more urgent than ever
Fri 09 June 2006
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Climate experts speaking at two recent conferences warn that the world may be closer to a climate 'tipping point' than previously understood due to feedback mechanisms in soils and oceans.
Speaking at the Royal Geographical Society, a climate modeller from Exeter University said that changes in the soil and oceans over the coming decades could make it more difficult for the earth to cope with the growth in CO2 emissions. Professor Peter Cox said that warmer temperatures could force soils around the world to release their stocks of carbon and potentially drive up global temperatures by an extra 1.5C.
Experts expect the ability of land and oceans to absorb CO2 emissions to decline as global temperatures rise.
Meanwhile, at the British Association festival of science, delegates were told that the scientific opinion is that we have a ceiling of 440 parts per million (ppm) before there is a 'tipping point' which could lead to a step change in the rate of global warming.
The current concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is 380ppm.
Professor Peter Smith of the University of Nottingham said that we are now emitting around 2ppm per year and could expect the tipping point to reach us in around 20 years time.
Related Links
Guardian article link (tipping point)
Guardian article link (soils)
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