In the most recent issue of Rolling Stone, July 19, 2012, the article titled, Global Warming's Terrifying New Math" by Bill McKibben portrays a realistic but even more sobering digestion of current projected facts and figures. Citing three numbers as critical in the balance between global salvation and global devastation, he places the responsibility and blame squarely on the fossil fuel energy industry.
The three numbers are the increase in the temperature of the earth, the amount of carbon producing fuels we can use and the amount of carbon producing materials that are available to use. Citing 2 degrees Celsius as the first number we must account for, he includes that we have already reached .8 degrees rise in global temperature. Add the latent CO2 that has already been released into the atmosphere and this number almost doubles bringing us dangerously close to what has been described as scientists as the tipping point of no return. Considering the already historical climate conditions of just this year it boggles the mind and chills the soul what it would be like at even 1 degree Celsius.
565 Gigatons is the amount of fossil fuel that can be burned before tipping the 2 degree Celsius compared to the 2,795 Gigatons of carbon contained in the available proven oil, gas and coal reserves that the fossil fuel industry is planning to burn. At a ratio of almost 5 to 1, it is clear that this is something we need to stop. Bill McKibben, for all of his facts and information ultimately asks for our sense of moral outrage demanding that we make the fossil fuel industry account and pay for the pollution, the CO2, which they dump into our atmosphere every day for free,
Citing this as a profit center, Naomi Klein states, "...these numbers make clear that with the fossil-fuel industry, wrecking the planet is their business model. It's what they do."
Bill McKibben adds, "...we need to view the fossil-fuel industry in a new light. It has become a rogue industry, reckless like no other force on Earth. It is Public Enemy Number One to the survival of our planetary civilization."
To read the article in its entirety, click here "Global Warming's Terrifying New Math" by Bill McKibben, Rolling Stone, July 19, 2012 issue.
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