Global warming gases increasing at alarming rate

February 15, 5:28 AMDenver Weather ExaminerTony Hake

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China's increased dependence on coal power plants is
partially to blame for an increase in global warming gases. 
(AP Photo)

Researchers are saying that carbon dioxide and other global warming gases are being added to the atmosphere at an increasing rate, even above what their previous predictions expected.  Burgeoning industrial nations like China and India are behind much of the rise that scientists claim is occurring despite increased awareness of the danger these gases may present and the major changes to the climate and weather they may cause. 

These latest estimates exceed those predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) most recent assessment.  Speaking at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Chris Field said, “The consequence of that is we are basically looking now at a future climate that is beyond anything that we've considered seriously.”  Chris Field is the founding director of the Carnegie Institution for Science's Department of Global Ecology and a professor of biological sciences at Stanford University.

There is a real risk that human-caused climate change will accelerate the release of carbon dioxide from forest and tundra ecosystems, which have been storing a lot of carbon for thousands of years.  We don't want to cross a critical threshold where this massive release of carbon starts to run on autopilot.
- Chris Field, Carnegie Department of Global Ecology

According to Mr. Field, carbon-related gases have been growing at 3.5 percent since the year 2000, exceeding the 0.9 percent increase seen during the 1990s.  Coal fired power plants account for much of the increase as coal power plants are the least expensive and the easiest to build.  Mr. Field, said, “Without aggressive attention societies will continue to focus on the energy sources that are cheapest, and that means coal.”

The meeting of the AAAS is touted as one of the largest and will, “bring together an exceptional array of speakers addressing some of the most crucial and timely areas of science, technology, and engineering.” Former Vice President Al Gore gave a special address to attendees on Friday.

The AAAS meeting is in contrast to the 2009 International Conference on Climate Change coming next month.  Sponsored by the Heartland Institute, that conference will bring together scientists from the other side of the aisle that believe anthropological global warming (AGW) is a myth.  Baltimore Weather Examiner Justin Berk has the details on that gathering.