Tag: global warming

Receding mountain glaciers threaten the water supply of millions of people around the world

April 18, 2020

With increasing concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide and rising surface temperatures, glaciers in many parts of the world are receding due to increased melting. Many of these glaciers sit on mountains and serve as a storage of freshwater during the summer months. Hence, increased melting of these glaciers could potentially lead to upheaval in the … More Receding mountain glaciers threaten the water supply of millions of people around the world

Thawing of Arctic permafrost releases previously entrapped microbial spores and viruses

January 11, 2020

Thawing of the Arctic permafrost has been raised in the popular media as a point of concern for the release of methane, that has greater global warming potential (GWP) compared to carbon dioxide. However, a recent report in Scientific American (November 2016) highlighted the role where progressive thawing of the Arctic permafrost has already contributed … More Thawing of Arctic permafrost releases previously entrapped microbial spores and viruses

What is the current extent of warming compared to pre-industrial level?

October 24, 2019

Global warming is real, but what is the current extent of warming relative to pre-industrial level. The first point to note is the baseline usable for our understanding of how far temperature has risen compared to pre-industrial level. Continuous global surface temperature measurement was first instituted in 1850, and thus, the usable baseline for understanding … More What is the current extent of warming compared to pre-industrial level?

Glass is not suitable as building material in a warming climate

July 28, 2019

Glass is commonly used in modern buildings especially as floor-to-ceiling glass in skyscrapers, and increasingly, apartment buildings. However, in a warming climate, glass allows too much external heat into the interior and thereby increases cooling requirement, which in addition to elevating the cost of maintaining interior temperatures, also increases the overall greenhouse gas emissions of … More Glass is not suitable as building material in a warming climate

Vegetation’s response to global warming

May 12, 2019

Article in Nature, Vol. 531, Issue 7596, pp. 633-636, “Boreal and temperate trees show strong acclimation of respiration to warming”   Summary of article: Using statistical analysis of a large sample of temperature response curves obtained by measuring carbon dioxide loss from leaves in simulated temperature changes, the study opens our eyes to the role … More Vegetation’s response to global warming

Carbon budget and carbon inventory: can we still use fossil fuels?

October 24, 2017

Climate change has prompted scientists and policy makers to fathom whether humanity should continue to rely on fossil fuels for energy production. Specifically, considering that a threshold of atmospheric carbon dioxide exists where there would be irreversible effects of climate change on the globe in what is known as dangerous anthropogenic interference (DAI), how much … More Carbon budget and carbon inventory: can we still use fossil fuels?

Vegetation’s response to global warming

July 20, 2017

Article in Nature, Vol. 531, Issue 7596, pp. 633-636, “Boreal and temperate trees show strong acclimation of respiration to warming”   Summary of article: Using statistical analysis of a large sample of temperature response curves obtained by measuring carbon dioxide loss from leaves in simulated temperature changes, the study opens our eyes to the role … More Vegetation’s response to global warming

Peatland occupies 3% of the world’s surface but holds twice of the carbon stored in biomass on Earth

June 12, 2017

Peatland, or partially decomposed organic matter, comprises 3% of the world’s land surface area, but holds about twice the total amount of carbon stored in biomass on Earth. This explains why there has been so much attention on the protection of the world’s peatland such as those in the Arctic permafrost zone as well as … More Peatland occupies 3% of the world’s surface but holds twice of the carbon stored in biomass on Earth

Climate sensitivity and how close are we to dangerous anthropogenic interference in climate change?

June 11, 2017

Winters are shorter and temperature fluctuations between seasons are more extreme. More importantly, it has been scientifically proven that Earth is warming as measured by average surface temperatures. With a warming trend that is unlikely to be abated, significant changes will occur in atmospheric circulation and temperature resultant from a progressive increase in average carbon … More Climate sensitivity and how close are we to dangerous anthropogenic interference in climate change?

Absorption of carbon dioxide and heat by the oceans, but would that be enough?

February 5, 2017

Oceans absorb some of the carbon dioxide and heat released by human activities, such as fossil fuel combustion for energy production and derivation of petrochemical products useful in many aspects of daily life. Specifically, carbon dioxide dissolves in water to form carbonic acid, a weak acid that increases the acidity of ocean water. Increase in … More Absorption of carbon dioxide and heat by the oceans, but would that be enough?