Comments not related to oil or natural gas production in this thread please. Thank you.
6 thoughts to “Open Thread Non-Petroleum May 10, 2025”
EVEN AS EMISSIONS LEVEL OFF, CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE IS GROWING FASTER THAN EVER.
Over the last decade, humanity’s emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) have stabilized after a period of huge growth. Average growth is now down to just 0.6% per year, compared to 2% per year in the previous decade. But leveling off isn’t the same as declining—and we’ve leveled off at a very high rate of emissions. The Global Carbon Project estimates human activities released a record high of 10.2 gigatons of carbon (GtC) in 2024.
Last year, the atmosphere’s concentration of CO₂ rose at the fastest rate on record. Over the last decade, atmospheric CO₂ increased an average of 2.4 parts per million (ppm) a year. But last year, concentrations jumped by 3.5 ppm, reaching 424 ppm in the atmosphere. These concentrations are more than 50% higher than the pre-industrial period.
Take a look at the Mauna Loa CO2 graph. Now consider the reduction of energy consumed in 2020 due to Covid. Now go back to the Mauna Loa graph and find the corresponding drop in CO2 in the atmosphere. Oh that’s right, there isn’t any. It is complicated.
EVEN AS EMISSIONS LEVEL OFF, CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE IS GROWING FASTER THAN EVER.
Over the last decade, humanity’s emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) have stabilized after a period of huge growth. Average growth is now down to just 0.6% per year, compared to 2% per year in the previous decade. But leveling off isn’t the same as declining—and we’ve leveled off at a very high rate of emissions. The Global Carbon Project estimates human activities released a record high of 10.2 gigatons of carbon (GtC) in 2024.
Last year, the atmosphere’s concentration of CO₂ rose at the fastest rate on record. Over the last decade, atmospheric CO₂ increased an average of 2.4 parts per million (ppm) a year. But last year, concentrations jumped by 3.5 ppm, reaching 424 ppm in the atmosphere. These concentrations are more than 50% higher than the pre-industrial period.
https://phys.org/news/2025-05-emissions-carbon-dioxide-atmosphere-faster.html
I thought the giga-tonnage was closer to 40 than 10.2, or is this a different measure:
https://climatechangetracker.org/co2/human-induced-yearly-co2-emissions
Mike —
Gigatonnes of carbon; one GtC is equal to 109 tonnes of carbon or 1012 kg. 3.7 Gt carbon dioxide will give one GtC.
Ah–I should have paid closer attention!
Take a look at the Mauna Loa CO2 graph. Now consider the reduction of energy consumed in 2020 due to Covid. Now go back to the Mauna Loa graph and find the corresponding drop in CO2 in the atmosphere. Oh that’s right, there isn’t any. It is complicated.
Almost twice as many bikes as private cars on the streets of London now.
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/assets/Services-Environment/City-Streets-2025-Summary-Report.pdf
(Page 11)