“It’s a simple way of illustrating that the atmosphere has a finite capability to hold greenhouse gasses before bad things happen,” says Rob Jackson, who helped to create the graphic.
Rob Jackson speaks about the Global Carbon Project, which projects that global carbon dioxide emissions from coal, oil and natural gas are set to hit another record high this year.
Although natural gas burns more cleanly than coal, it’s still one of the biggest sources of climate pollution. Globally, planet-warming carbon emissions from natural gas are rising more quickly than emissions from coal are falling, according to research led by Rob Jackson.
"Unless natural gas is replacing coal, it isn't a bridge fuel. Unless it is coupled with carbon capture and sequestration, it isn't a bridge fuel," says Rob Jackson.
"It's hard to view slower growth as good news. But nonetheless, compared to last year and 2017 the growth rate was down substantially. What we need is for emissions to decline, not to rise slowly," says Rob Jackson.
"The two places where renewables and natural gas are both displacing coal are here in the United States and in Europe," Rob Jackson says. But elsewhere around the world, "most of the new gas being burned isn't replacing coal – it's providing new energy for people."
“Every house, every high-rise that’s built with gas, may be in place for decades. We’re establishing infrastructure that may be in place for 50 years,” says Rob Jackson.
As detailed in a new study published in Geology, Stephen Dobbs and his collaborators used open-source multibeam sonar data, along with topographic data, to compare land and underwater canyons.
“One of the ways to sort of insulate yourself better from public safety power shut-offs is to have some local storage so that you can segregate your electrical grid a little bit so that it’s more of a microgrid,” says Tony Kovscek.
Many experts believe recent disasters represent a new era — one in which major wildfires that threaten people and their homes are a regular fixture in our lives. Chris Field talks about how the scientific community is thinking about wildfires.
For more than two years President Donald Trump has talked about pulling out of the landmark Paris climate agreement. Rob Jackson, chair of the Global Carbon Project that tracks carbon emissions worldwide, speaks about this commitment.
Rob Jackson says total global carbon dioxide emissions are rising again in 2019, and other scientists’ warnings about climate change have intensified over the past 12 months. Will world leaders finally listen?
NSF is forcing competition while mandating that a single contractor manage its two large facilities for studying Earth’s shape and vibration. This comes as a surprise, “but it’s not dire news. In a way, I kind of welcome it,” says Greg Beroza.
