5 January 2013

 

Climate change: Soot’s role underestimated, says study

 

By Matt McGrath

Environment correspondent, BBC News

 

Half a degree

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21033078

 

The research –  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jgrd.50171/abstract

 

“This new study concludes the dark particles are having a warming effect approximately two thirds that of carbon dioxide, and greater than methane.

 

‘The large conclusion is that forcing due to black carbon in the atmosphere is larger,’ lead author Sarah Doherty told BBC News.

The value the IPCC gave in their 4th assessment report in 2007 is half of what we are presenting in this report – it’s a little bit shocking,”

 

This is just one of many instances where the IPCC predictions have been challenged as being far too conservative.  One could be quite within the realm of reasonable doubt in concluding that global warming is a far greater threat than governments want their citizens to realize. Polar ice, ocean warming, sea level rises, affect of melting permafrost on methane levels and on and on are just a few examples of instances where the IPCC underestimated.