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Environment & Energy

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Dead_Parrot

(14,478 posts)
Sun Jan 8, 2012, 08:40 PM Jan 2012

The E/E pocket reference guide [View all]

This discussion thread is pinned.

Last edited Tue Feb 5, 2019, 10:20 PM - Edit history (21)

E/E invites discussion or any subject pertaining to the environment (biodiversity, pollution, GM crops, population et al); energy (fossil fuels, renewables, and the great nuclear pie-fight); and of course climate change/resource use which links the two. Peak oil related posts are also welcome, but don't forget the peak oil group.

If you've got questions about climate change feel free to ask, but if you repeatedly post denialist rubbish you are liable to be shown the door...

Updating Feb 2019 (Sorry for the wait. I've been tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk).


Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide ( CO₂ ) is the GHG that gets discussed the most, because of the sheer amount we produce (9 billion tons in 2010) and because so much of our existing energy produces it. The best guess for a sustainable level is 350 ppm, so... Yeah. Good luck with that.

Short term trend (Source: NOAA):


Long term trend (Source: NOAA):



Emissions by region (Source: EIA):



Emissions by sector (Source: OWID)


Methane

Methane ( CH₄ ) is a hundred times more potent (by mass) than CO₂ over a 20 year period: Although it does break down over time, the total amount in the atmosphere is increasing, largely due to melting clathrates in the oceans and permafront.

Short term trend (Source: NOAA)


Long term trend (Source: NOAA)


Other GHGs

Nitrous Oxide (Source: NOAA)
N₂O is mainly released from fertilizer, is about 200 times more potent than CO₂, with a lifetime of ~120 years.


Sulfur Hexafluoride (Source: NOAA)
SF₆ is used in industry, is about 36,000 times more potent than CO₂, with a lifetime of ~6,000 years.


Current(ish) Temperature Anomalies:

Surface temperature (Source: NASA)



Ocean Heat Content (Source: NOAA)








The 'Hockey stick':
Source: The OSS Foundation
There are various versions of this chart: This is the from the last IPCC report, but there are more (with comparisons) at the link.
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Realism vs Skepticism:
Source: Skeptical Science
Pwnd. Also check out Rasmus Benestad's trend-fudging masterclass at RealClimate.
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[div id="sechyd"][font size=4 ]Hydrology[/font]
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US Drought:
Source: UNL
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Arctic ice area:
Source: UIUC
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Arctic ice mass (PIOMAS):
Source: WashingtonU
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PIOMAS trends:
Source: Neven
Neven's Plot'o'Doom. Not guaranteed, but certainly food for thought.
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Arctic ice map:
Source: UIUC
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Antarctic ice map:
Source: UIUC
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[div id="secpal"][font size=4 ]Paleoclimate[/font]
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CO2 & Temp for 5 glaciations
Source: GWArt
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Milankovitch cycles
Source: GWArt
NB: Recent is on the left.
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CO2 & Temp for 4 glaciations
Source: VictoriaU
NB: Recent is on the left.
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[div id="secene"][font size=4 ]Energy[/font]
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US Energy flowchart - 2010
Source: LLNL
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Global energy production - 1985 to 2010
Source: Consumer Energy Report
NB: The figures are from BP, but I assume they're accurate.
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Energy consumption by fuel - 1990 to 2035
Source: EIA
Many more at the link.
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[div id="secres"][font size=4 ]Responses to denialist claptrap[/font]
Claim: CO2 followed warming after the last ice age.
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Details: Rather than an increase in CO2 causing increasing temperatures at the end of the last ice, the increase in CO2 was caused by increasing temperatures. Therefore, we don't need to worry about increasing CO2 now.
Response: A test of 80 temperature proxies referenced against CO2 levels (from air trapped in ice) shows that the the CO2 definitely came first. A fuller explanation can be found at http://www.livescience.com/19481-ice-age-carbon-dioxide-orbit.html, and the paper is at http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v484/n7392/full/nature10915.html
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(I'll add more of these next week

[div id="seclin"][font size=4 ]Links[/font]
RealClimate: Climate Science from climate scientists.
Skeptical Science: Examines the science and arguments of global warming skepticism.
The Oil Drum: Discussions about Energy and Our Future
Nevan's ice blog.
GliderGuider's happy fun pages.

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83 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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The E/E pocket reference guide [View all] Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 OP
Need to show longer periods of time Nederland Jan 2012 #1
Oops, those charts appear to be missing the full set of data... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #3
I think you are missing the point (as usual) Nederland Jan 2012 #9
If you spend a bit less time reading denier sites... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #14
If you spend a bit less time reading CAGW sites... Nederland Jan 2012 #32
Citizens Against Government Waste? Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #35
The last time we were above 420ppm CO2 we were 20 degrees warmer worldwide IbogaProject Mar 6 #83
There are some historical charts about energy I'd like to include. bananas Jan 2012 #2
No worries Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #4
I believe these are helpful OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #5
I'll add them to the pile Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #6
Please note OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #22
Corrected, thanks. Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #23
Easily done OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #25
Thanks... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #30
Thanks! OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #38
Don't forget the ice volume plot from the PIOMAS site. Systematic Chaos Jan 2012 #7
Like this one? XemaSab Jan 2012 #8
The subject line needs work. Kolesar Jan 2012 #10
You have a better subject line? XemaSab Jan 2012 #11
You conferred with the originator. You know better than me what the threads about Kolesar Jan 2012 #12
I don't have a problem with the thread title XemaSab Jan 2012 #17
I'm open to suggestions... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #13
At this point, it appears to be a pocket reference for scientific measurements of climate change OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #24
I'm hoping to throw in a bunch of energy related ones, also... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #27
World Energy Consumption OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #39
World Coal Use OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #40
Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #41
IPCC had nice charts for their report on renewables. FSSF Jan 2012 #45
I was thinking that "Doom On A Stick" has a nice ring to it . . . hatrack Jan 2012 #29
Useful graphs for deniers wtmusic Jan 2012 #15
... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #16
. XemaSab Jan 2012 #18
Message auto-removed Name removed Aug 2015 #73
OMFG jpak Jan 2012 #20
Lol! FBaggins Jan 2012 #21
Great job Xema and DP!! jpak Jan 2012 #19
Methane sources OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #26
There's a good global review... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #28
That review may be out-of-date OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #37
Also, there's XemaSab Jan 2012 #31
Is there a time series or anomaly version of that top one? Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #33
The context is WE'RE SCREWED! XemaSab Jan 2012 #34
I’m not sure how to interpret this. OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #42
It's not about long-term trends XemaSab Jan 2012 #43
OK, got it. OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #44
Excellent work, ya'll, this post is epic! joshcryer Jan 2012 #36
Sorry if I'm being dense but does the NOAA CO2 graph show us at 393 ppm? truebrit71 Jan 2012 #46
Why, yes it does... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #47
Right, although 350 ppm has been suggested as an initial target OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #48
At this point... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #49
So here’s the thing OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #51
Physically pulling carbon back out the cycle is possible... Dead_Parrot Jan 2012 #52
Right, there are a number of strategies that might be used OKIsItJustMe Jan 2012 #53
Yeah sorry, 350 was the number I meant... truebrit71 Jan 2012 #50
Yeah? So what? Show me PROOF that global warming is real, not just a bunch of charts. Kablooie Feb 2012 #54
this post is full of win! Odin2005 Feb 2012 #55
K&R. wtmusic Feb 2012 #56
Another good one XemaSab Mar 2012 #57
Here's an interesting new graph: XemaSab Jun 2012 #58
radiation energy pumaman Jul 2012 #59
the flat earth irony pumaman Jul 2012 #60
Courtesy of phantom power: XemaSab Aug 2012 #61
I thought those were courtesy of you and hatrack :) phantom power Aug 2012 #62
You codified them XemaSab Aug 2012 #63
May I add some data? AldoLeopold Dec 2012 #64
can you point me to a site where they have the data for CO2 concentration & annual Global mean temps Bill USA Mar 2013 #65
thanks for this... Blue_Tires Jul 2013 #66
+1 truebrit71 Aug 2013 #67
Fantastic Post IPPC Data EnvironmentalVK Jun 2014 #68
Excellent resource... PoutrageFatigue Aug 2014 #69
The Smoking Gun jpak Feb 2015 #70
Thank you for this Novara Apr 2015 #71
Annual Mean CO2 Growth Rate for Mauna Loa, Hawaii OKIsItJustMe Jul 2015 #72
Japanese satellite Arctic ice extent figures, since the American satellite has problems muriel_volestrangler May 2016 #74
change feel free to change BarbaraChipps Apr 2019 #75
Ooops, looks like someone else got shown the door progree May 2019 #76
Can someone clarify the forum rules on "clean energy" discussions? False Progress Mar 2020 #77
Try posting in this Group BumRushDaShow Mar 2020 #78
"I think the Democratic Party has forsaken old environmental protections". Seriously???? marble falls Mar 2020 #79
Current Antarctic Sea Ice OKIsItJustMe Sep 2023 #80
Current Arctic Sea Ice OKIsItJustMe Sep 2023 #81
Current Greenland Ice Sheet OKIsItJustMe Sep 2023 #82
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