[Coral-List] Bleaching

[Douglas Fenner]

Exactly.
If I remember, the number often quoted is that methane is 85 TIMES as
powerful at absorbing infrared heat radiation as CO2.  The flip side is it
lasts a vastly shorter amount of time in the atmosphere.  But while
it lasts, it is powerful.
      My understanding is that when the permafrost melts, lots of methane
is released from vegetation that has rotted.  The vegetation that hasn't
rotted then is exposed to air, dries out, and the result is fires over
large areas that release loads of CO2 in addition to the methane already
released.  Both Siberia and Alaska have had fires burning over large areas
of melting permafrost in recent years.  These emissions are in addition to
those humans cause directly, and so mean that humans have to reduce even
more to reach goals of limiting climate warming.  If the permafrost
emissions get large enough, they could mean that greenhouse gases and
global warming will continue even if human net emissions go to zero.  Only
way out then would be carbon capture, which forests would be glad to do if
we would stop destroying them, and do reforestation.  We haven't even
slowed the rate of forest destruction as far as I know.  Only other option
is technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, which nobody has
demonstrated a feasible technology for yet, that I know of.
      Not good for coral reef futures.  Cheers, Doug

On Fri, Apr 8, 2022 at 11:14 PM Dennis Hubbard via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

> Hi Steve:
>
> And.... let's not forget the downstream triggers that can be even greater.
> For example. when the permafrost melts, it releases significant volumes of
> methane which is even more disruptive than CO2 (I can't remember the exact
> number, so I'll just say "it's a lot  more"). There are similar
> oceanographic loops as coastal waters warm.
>
> Best,
>
> Dennis
>
> Denny
>
> On Thu, Apr 7, 2022 at 9:22 AM Steve Mussman via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Dear Gene,
> >
> > Although it is increasingly difficult to remain optimistic, the takeaway
> > message should be clear. The sooner we can muster the political will to
> > reduce atmospheric CO2 the better. The debate should have ended decades
> > ago, but that is no excuse for complacency and/or inaction.
> >
> >
> https://theconversation.com/how-fast-can-we-stop-earth-from-warming-178295
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > On 4/5/22, 12:49 PM, Eugene Shinn via Coral-List <
> > coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks Austin, I have become so used to broken promises by governmens
> >
> > and businesses that it just bounces off. I recall many climate change
> >
> > authors claiming that if all sources of Co2 were stopped today it would
> >
> > take about half a century for Co2 levels to drop to pre-industrial
> >
> > levels. Reducing present levels in 8-years is not realistic. Gene
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
>
> --
> Dennis Hubbard - Emeritus Professor: Dept of Geology-Oberlin College
> Oberlin OH 44074
> (440) 935-4014
>
> * "When you get on the wrong train.... every stop is the wrong stop"*
>  Benjamin Stein: "*Ludes, A Ballad of the Drug and the Dream*"
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