The ability of scientists to make accurate predictions about future effects of CO2 will be boosted by vital data from a new US satellite sent to take a detailed inventory of the planet’s sinks and sources of carbon. The US space agency NASA sent up a satellite on 2 June, which will provide vital data for predicting future effects of CO2by taking the measure of the planetary … [Read more...]
UN climate report set to establish ‘global carbon budget’
The UN's landmark climate science report is likely to set a figure on the amount of fossil fuels that can be burnt if global warming is to be limited to safe levels. It could warn that less than a quarter of the planet’s oil, coal and gas reserves can be consumed between now and 2050, and set a worldwide ‘carbon emission budget’. Previous studies have indicated that the … [Read more...]
Africa: On fire from space
30% of the earth’s surface is affected by fire. Fire destroys forests and vegetations which are our sources of food – it is both a driver and an indicator of climate change. When biomass is burned, copious amounts of gases and particulate matter are released, billowing smoke plumes fill the sky, and entire ecosystems can change in seconds. “We’ve seen very saddening … [Read more...]
Future carbon budget already almost gone
In the red: We've already eaten into - and substantially so - our future carbon budget, explained Prof Harald Winkler of UCT's Energy Research Centre in his inaugural lecture, 'Climate Change Mitigation in the Context of Development'. "We don't know all the answers, but we do know more than enough to take action now. It's clear from a South African point of view that we need … [Read more...]
