A new study shows that there is more carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere than there has been at any point in the past three million years. (Photo: Danicek/Shutterstock)
Apr 05, 2019
Human activity has helped cause carbon levels to rise to a rate that hasn't been seen on planet Earth in three million years, researchers have revealed.
A study published Wednesday by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany showed that the last time carbon dioxide was detected in the planet's atmosphere at the level it is now was during the Pliocene epoch, which took place 2.6 to 5.3 million years ago.
\u201cThe last time CO2 levels were this high, there were forests in #Antarctica - "It tells you where we're heading if we don't get serious about addressing #climatechange" - @mjsiegert @vandeflierdt speak to @BBCAmos about the #Pliocene epoch\n#RmetS @RMetS \nhttps://t.co/84MUKSvIR7\u201d— Grantham Imperial (@Grantham Imperial) 1554368103
\u201cGreenland was mostly green the last time carbon levels were this high. \n https://t.co/xAxLwlVhB1\u201d— USA TODAY (@USA TODAY) 1554416760
Authors of the report, which was published in Science Advances, warned that while global temperatures have not yet risen more than 2o Celsius (3.6o Fahrenheit) above industrial levels in the past three million years, they likely will if "climate inaction" on the part of world governments continues.
"It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period, the Quaternary," said Matteo Willeit, lead author of the study, "a period that started almost three million years ago and saw human civilization beginning only 11,000 years ago. So, the modern climate change we see is big, really big; even by standards of Earth history."
"It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period." --Matteo Willeit, climate scientist
The report suggested that sea levels could rise as much as 6.5 feet in the next 200 years if humans do not end fossil fuel drilling and carbon emissions. The last time carbon levels were where they are now, sea levels were 65 feet higher, according to the Potsdam Institute.
According to the computer simulation the Institute used in the study, CO2 levels "should not be higher than 280 parts per million without human activity."
Carbon levels are currently at 410 parts per million and rising.
The study was published about three months after youth around the world began holding weekly demonstrations demanding that their elected leaders pass meaningful legislation to end carbon emissions from human activity and shift to a zero-carbon economy.
As students in Ireland, Sweden, Uganda, and other countries gathered for another climate strike, the climate action group Defend Our Future tweeted that the Institute's study shows "there's no time to waste" for global leaders to take meaningful climate action.
\u201cThere's no time to waste - we must #ActOnClimate. #ClimateFriday https://t.co/gLJb6c6h7y\u201d— Defend Our Future | #ClimateCantWait\ud83c\udf0e\u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a (@Defend Our Future | #ClimateCantWait\ud83c\udf0e\u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a) 1554475911
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Human activity has helped cause carbon levels to rise to a rate that hasn't been seen on planet Earth in three million years, researchers have revealed.
A study published Wednesday by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany showed that the last time carbon dioxide was detected in the planet's atmosphere at the level it is now was during the Pliocene epoch, which took place 2.6 to 5.3 million years ago.
\u201cThe last time CO2 levels were this high, there were forests in #Antarctica - "It tells you where we're heading if we don't get serious about addressing #climatechange" - @mjsiegert @vandeflierdt speak to @BBCAmos about the #Pliocene epoch\n#RmetS @RMetS \nhttps://t.co/84MUKSvIR7\u201d— Grantham Imperial (@Grantham Imperial) 1554368103
\u201cGreenland was mostly green the last time carbon levels were this high. \n https://t.co/xAxLwlVhB1\u201d— USA TODAY (@USA TODAY) 1554416760
Authors of the report, which was published in Science Advances, warned that while global temperatures have not yet risen more than 2o Celsius (3.6o Fahrenheit) above industrial levels in the past three million years, they likely will if "climate inaction" on the part of world governments continues.
"It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period, the Quaternary," said Matteo Willeit, lead author of the study, "a period that started almost three million years ago and saw human civilization beginning only 11,000 years ago. So, the modern climate change we see is big, really big; even by standards of Earth history."
"It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period." --Matteo Willeit, climate scientist
The report suggested that sea levels could rise as much as 6.5 feet in the next 200 years if humans do not end fossil fuel drilling and carbon emissions. The last time carbon levels were where they are now, sea levels were 65 feet higher, according to the Potsdam Institute.
According to the computer simulation the Institute used in the study, CO2 levels "should not be higher than 280 parts per million without human activity."
Carbon levels are currently at 410 parts per million and rising.
The study was published about three months after youth around the world began holding weekly demonstrations demanding that their elected leaders pass meaningful legislation to end carbon emissions from human activity and shift to a zero-carbon economy.
As students in Ireland, Sweden, Uganda, and other countries gathered for another climate strike, the climate action group Defend Our Future tweeted that the Institute's study shows "there's no time to waste" for global leaders to take meaningful climate action.
\u201cThere's no time to waste - we must #ActOnClimate. #ClimateFriday https://t.co/gLJb6c6h7y\u201d— Defend Our Future | #ClimateCantWait\ud83c\udf0e\u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a (@Defend Our Future | #ClimateCantWait\ud83c\udf0e\u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a) 1554475911
Human activity has helped cause carbon levels to rise to a rate that hasn't been seen on planet Earth in three million years, researchers have revealed.
A study published Wednesday by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany showed that the last time carbon dioxide was detected in the planet's atmosphere at the level it is now was during the Pliocene epoch, which took place 2.6 to 5.3 million years ago.
\u201cThe last time CO2 levels were this high, there were forests in #Antarctica - "It tells you where we're heading if we don't get serious about addressing #climatechange" - @mjsiegert @vandeflierdt speak to @BBCAmos about the #Pliocene epoch\n#RmetS @RMetS \nhttps://t.co/84MUKSvIR7\u201d— Grantham Imperial (@Grantham Imperial) 1554368103
\u201cGreenland was mostly green the last time carbon levels were this high. \n https://t.co/xAxLwlVhB1\u201d— USA TODAY (@USA TODAY) 1554416760
Authors of the report, which was published in Science Advances, warned that while global temperatures have not yet risen more than 2o Celsius (3.6o Fahrenheit) above industrial levels in the past three million years, they likely will if "climate inaction" on the part of world governments continues.
"It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period, the Quaternary," said Matteo Willeit, lead author of the study, "a period that started almost three million years ago and saw human civilization beginning only 11,000 years ago. So, the modern climate change we see is big, really big; even by standards of Earth history."
"It seems we're now pushing our home planet beyond any climatic conditions experienced during the entire current geological period." --Matteo Willeit, climate scientist
The report suggested that sea levels could rise as much as 6.5 feet in the next 200 years if humans do not end fossil fuel drilling and carbon emissions. The last time carbon levels were where they are now, sea levels were 65 feet higher, according to the Potsdam Institute.
According to the computer simulation the Institute used in the study, CO2 levels "should not be higher than 280 parts per million without human activity."
Carbon levels are currently at 410 parts per million and rising.
The study was published about three months after youth around the world began holding weekly demonstrations demanding that their elected leaders pass meaningful legislation to end carbon emissions from human activity and shift to a zero-carbon economy.
As students in Ireland, Sweden, Uganda, and other countries gathered for another climate strike, the climate action group Defend Our Future tweeted that the Institute's study shows "there's no time to waste" for global leaders to take meaningful climate action.
\u201cThere's no time to waste - we must #ActOnClimate. #ClimateFriday https://t.co/gLJb6c6h7y\u201d— Defend Our Future | #ClimateCantWait\ud83c\udf0e\u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a (@Defend Our Future | #ClimateCantWait\ud83c\udf0e\u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a) 1554475911
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.