No, really! Per CNN’s John D. Sutter
2 degrees: The most important number you’ve never heard of
In 2013, I did something that’s a little scary for a journalist.
I asked you to tell me what to cover.
In the two years since, I’ve traveled the world writing about social justice issues that you selected in an online poll: I went undercover in Southeast Asia to follow the illegal trade in the pangolin, the world’s most trafficked mammal; I flew to a lawless town in Alaska to learn why that state has America’s highest rate of reported rape; I spent three weeks kayaking (and walking) a river in California that’s so dry it fails to reach the sea; and I met a family in Silicon Valley that’s living in a garage despite that region’s booming wealth from the technology sector.
So, wait, he’s taken lots of fossil fueled trips?
Starting today, Earth Day, I’m planning to spend the rest of the year writing about one tiny little number — 2 degrees. It may be the most important number you’ve never heard of.
Maybe that plan sounds excessive.
(Eight months reporting on one number!?)
But here’s why it matters: If we humans warm the world more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), we greatly up the odds of climate catastrophes.
Think super droughts, rising seas, mass extinctions and acidifying oceans.
We don’t want to cross that mark.
Doom!!!!!!!! Funny how 25+ years of spreading awareness has resulted in no one knowing that number. Of course, there have been multiple times over the past 5 million years or so where the planet was much warmer while humanity has been around. But, hey, facts are unimportant. Nor that humanity has spread around the globe, where people live in vastly different climates, many which are pretty darned warm.
Good news, though. If we drastically cut carbon emissions, we can stay below the 2-degree threshold. As part of this series, I’ll be exploring exactly what it would take to do so.
This matters a great deal this year, since the United Nations will gather leaders and policy experts in Paris in December to try to hammer out a new international agreement on climate change. Two degrees will be one useful benchmark to see if the world is on track.
Of course, the old big government solution.
Speaking of facts, can you support your claim that the Earth has been 2C warmer when humanity has been around? Five million years is irrelevant since humanity is only some 200,000 years old. Human civilization is just 10,000 years old. Anyway, it’s Deniers who insist that global warming means we’re “all gonna die”. Although entire species will become extinct because of global warming, Homo sapiens sapiens will not! Hundreds of millions of individuals will die, billions will suffer, civilization will be forced to change, some food sources will dry up, as will some fresh water sources, mass migrations will occur, but the human species will survive and adapt.
the volcano which blew it’s top in chili yesterday threw more CO2 into the atmosphere in the first 24 hours than mankind has in it’s entire existnce….
climit change…global warming…global cooling…it’s all a naturally occuring cycle which humanity can adapt to, but can change but minutly.
That’s just not true. Think about it. Atmospheric CO2 has risen from 280 ppm to 400 ppm in the past 100 years, all attributable to humans burning fossil fuels. If your unsubstantiated claim were true, and more CO2 was added to the atmosphere yesterday than in the past century, shouldn’t scientists measure a sharp and significant increase in atmospheric CO2?
Do you have a reputable source to back up your illogical claim
This guy, this John D. Sutter guy, is either the bastard son of little jeffy or the retarded brother of johnny boy.
It’s irrelevant if humanity was around or not-the key is that it’s been warmer before. “Hundreds of millions will die, billions will suffer, some food sources will dry up, but the human species will adapt.” Why yes, why wouldn’t they? There’s absolutely no proof of the millions dying, billions suffering. We’re still searching for the 50miillion climate refugees “predicted” a few years ago. “Entire species will become extinct because of global warming” Really? Where’s the proof? Actually, there can’t be any proof, because it’s all “in the future.” Over 99% of all species that have existed on the earth are now extinct. So?
puppysucker is the vile, semi-human spawn of Lassie and Ronald Reagan, making him the son of a bitch and Lassie. This explains his “love” of immature dogs and his desire to destroy America.
j,
Take it up with Teach. He made the false claim.
Little jeffy still molesting his grandkids?
I take it this isn’t the “Captain” John Sutter who founded Sutter’s Fort in downtown Sacramento?
That one’s dead, I’m pretty sure, but that doesn’t slow the old boy down none. He never was a “Captain”, in the Swiss or any other army, just a boastful self-promoter.
But when they built Sutter General Hospital across from the fort, Cap’n John got promoted to General, at least on the statue’s plaque.
puppysucker,
You make certain that Teach never reveals my identity, with defamation laws what they are. Thanks.