Are carbon dioxide emissions really that detestable?

According to current research, CO2 is a greenhouse gas (although its effect is somewhat weaker than that of hydrocarbons such as CH4), and it indeed has a certain connection to global warming (as long as no new theories overturn the existing greenhouse gas theories). The Earth’s temperature has indeed risen, which is related to the normal fluctuations in Earth’s temperature over time as well as to solar activity. However, with the massive burning of fossil fuels – at levels unmatched by any other period (the amount of coal used before the 1950s was less than one-tenth of what is used today) – coupled with the significant reduction in forests, how can the carbon cycle function normally? Of course, it is not ruled out that there are problems in other aspects of the carbon cycle, but CO2 levels must have exceeded the natural equilibrium level. From the current perspective, the development of alternative energy sources is an urgent matter; fossil fuels will not be sustainable for much longer. (The above are personal opinions)

I can give you some figures: the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was 280*10-6 before the Industrial Revolution, and it seemed to have risen to 384*10-6 by 1999. Before the Industrial Revolution, the level of CO2 in the atmosphere remained relatively constant. However, due to human activities such as extensive exploitation and the heavy use of fossil fuels, large amounts of carbon dioxide are produced. At the same time, the clearing of forests eliminates the natural mechanisms that help to absorb carbon dioxide, leading to a sharp increase in its concentration in the atmosphere. This, in turn, contributes to various climate change phenomena. It has become possible to travel by ordinary ships across the Arctic Ocean, and the frequency and severity of natural disasters around the world have increased. Therefore, it is necessary to take action to protect the Earth by using clean energy sources. 1. There are several types of energy sources that can be used, such as solar energy, nuclear energy, wind energy, etc. 2. Improving energy efficiency is part of the integration between the Energy Revolution (ET) and the Information Revolution (IT); it involves enhancing the efficiency of energy use in order to make better use of energy resources and save energy. It is also the **smart grid construction plan proposed recently by the power grid company. 3. Regulate current thermal power generation costs through price mechanisms by imposing fees on carbon dioxide emissions; this will enhance the competitiveness of clean energy and increase its utilization. Due to the increase in energy consumption, it will inevitably lead enterprises and society to pay more attention to saving energy, thereby enabling a **reduction in the overall volume of energy use in high-energy-consuming industries**.

There is definitely an impact, but it’s not just CO2; it’s the combined effect of other greenhouse gases as well.

It’s still necessary to start by protecting the environment ourselves. Everyone talks about the need to \"protect the environment and care for future generations,\" but those who themselves pollute the environment and waste resources everywhere are the most despicable. The development of the chemical industry inevitably leads to environmental problems. Now it’s not just air pollution; all types of pollution are severe these days. Look, due to pollution, the Taihu Lake requires hundreds of millions of yuan to clean up, and it’s not even certain that it can be cleaned properly. What do you say we’ve left behind for future generations?

This post was last edited by a16898 on 2009-8-19 at 11:43. Essentially, it’s the circulatory system that’s having problems: the amount being discharged is rising sharply, while the amount being absorbed and solidified cannot keep up, and is even declining! It is currently difficult to rapidly improve absorption and curing capabilities, so the only solution is to reduce emissions! When one day the emission capacity and the absorption and stabilization capacity are equal, it will be safe to use it, but in reality, emissions are easy to achieve while absorption and stabilization are difficult!

Science has now proven that carbon dioxide is a major gas responsible for the greenhouse effect. As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, posing a direct threat to human survival and development, people have come to recognize the importance of carbon dioxide. This is why efforts to reduce emissions have been made, with a focus on how to cut down carbon dioxide levels. In a few years, perhaps carbon dioxide will once again be an energy source; it’s not certain whether it will be useful to us humans as well. With the advancement of science and human progress, anything can become a miracle.

3# yuancw1984 1. I don’t doubt your data, but you claim that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere remained relatively constant before the Industrial Revolution. I’m curious how this conclusion was reached – are there any long-term measurement data available? Or was it analyzed in some other way? 2. Besides reducing emissions, are there other ways to cut carbon dioxide? Theoretically, the balance between production and consumption can regulate carbon content. 3. As the concentration of carbon dioxide (or other greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere increases, the Earth’s temperature rises. Even though there is what is known as the greenhouse effect, does it necessarily follow that the rise in Earth’s temperature is caused by, and solely by, carbon dioxide (greenhouse gases)? 4. The total amount of fossil fuels is fixed; even if we maximize their efficiency of use, they will still be exhausted in the foreseeable future. And what about our alternative energy sources? The use of fossil fuels has greatly changed the way humans live. With alternative energy sources, how can we survive? 5. Solar energy? The conversion efficiency needs to be significantly improved, and it is also affected by the climate ； Wind energy and bioenergy – actually, both of these derive indirectly from solar energy, and can at most serve as a supplement. Nuclear energy may seem very powerful, but like fossil fuels, it requires nuclear fuel. Maybe we can find enough nuclear material. 6. As for your integration of ET and IT, **some of the plans and policies seem perfect, but what is the actual outcome? What is our current energy consumption situation at this stage? …… I’m sorry; it’s not meant to be deliberately difficult, just hoping everyone will think about it! Don’t worry too much about the future either; humans have their own cleverness, it’s just that we haven’t figured it out yet!

Yes, the key issue is the greenhouse effect it causes, one from which we cannot escape. Actually, I’m not necessarily completely opposed to carbon dioxide emissions; as long as we can protect our Earth, that is what we all need.

This post was last edited by zyu3001 on 2009-8-22 09:39. 9# pcwater: The current prevailing knowledge is as follows: 1. The CO2 level is at its highest in 450,000 years; it has risen sharply in recent decades, in line with the pace of industrialization. 2. CO2 is a greenhouse gas; although its effects are not as severe as those of methane and similar gases, its quantities are very high. 3. The greenhouse effect will accelerate the disappearance of ice caps in arid regions and cause sea levels to rise, submerging major cities and coastal areas. 4. Changes in rainfall patterns due to climate change will lead to large-scale population migrations. 5. There will be an increase in diseases. 6. In the worst-case scenario, this will result in an increased amount of moisture in the atmosphere, further intensifying the greenhouse effect (a positive feedback loop), until temperatures become too high for many plants and animals to survive； The seawater may even evaporate completely, leading to the extinction of marine life. There are a few dissenting opinions, including those from meteorology professors at MIT and some right-wing religious figures, who believe that CO2 levels vary cyclically and that changes in solar radiation cause the greenhouse effect. Personally, I think reducing CO2 emissions is a strategy for avoiding disasters: it means that we, as people living today, should spend some money and make sacrifices to prevent catastrophic consequences for future generations. For example, if the ice caps in the Himalayas disappear, the Yellow River and Yangtze River will dry up during the dry season, while floods will occur during the rainy season, resulting in reduced crop yields and forced displacement of people. Disasters will also hit India and Southeast Asia. Global warming is mercilessly destroying those beautiful high-altitude glaciers. In many parts of Tibet, this ice water has formed numerous lakes, which have submerged the beautiful grasslands and forced many herders to relocate repeatedly. There are now over a thousand lakes on the Tibetan Plateau with a diameter of more than one kilometer. The permafrost thaws in Jiangsu Province, and as it gets warmer, many turbulent streams of water, carrying mud with them, rush down from the plateaus. At the source of the Yellow River, glaciers have diminished significantly, and water supply in summer has decreased markedly in recent years ； Coupled with the thawing of permafrost, the water retention capacity has decreased, and many lakes have become partially or completely dry. Of the once more than 4,000 lakes in Maduo County, less than one-tenth still have water throughout the year, and the county seat of Maduo has had to be relocated again due to water shortages. Reduced water supply, thawing permafrost, and overgrazing have caused severe degradation of grasslands; parts of the grasslands have collapsed, house foundations have deformed, and walls have cracked. What’s more terrifying is that some areas at the source of the Yellow River have already experienced localized desertification. Maduo County, once the wealthiest region in China during the 1970s and 1980s, now sees most of its people relying on relief to survive. According to statistics, the water source of the Yellow River has decreased by about a quarter compared to 30 years ago. 　　 This tragic situation in Maduo County has already begun to occur in some parts of Tibet. 　　 The glaciers on the plateaus are disappearing, and the world’s water towers are deteriorating and leaking. －　

Your question is precisely why the United States did not join the Kyoto Protocol. According to American data, global warming is caused by an increase in greenhouse gases, rather than higher temperatures leading to more greenhouse gases; I somewhat believe this argument. However, the greenhouse effect has reached its maximum level in history, and the snow line in the Himalayas is continuously rising, exceeding historical records. Therefore, I still think that carbon dioxide is the main culprit behind rising temperatures.