June 6, 2020 Thorpe Watson, PhD Warfield, British Columbia, Canada
“CO2 keeps rising despite Covid” The following proposed letter to the editor was prompted by articles attempting to dismiss as meaningless the continuing increase of atmospheric CO2 during the COVID19 lockdown. It was even suggested that a more aggressive anti-CO2 agenda is required. (See 3 articles referenced below) This letter is a sequel to my previous letter that was published in the Trail Times, 28 May 2020, but under a new title. “CO2 keeps rising despite Covid” The submitted title was: “THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN EXPOSES THE PHONY WAR AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE” LETTER TO THE EDITOR GOOD NEWS: OUR CARBON EMISSIONS ARE CLIMATICALLY BENIGN Society is being overwhelmed with bad news; including the threat of a climate-change emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the riots in the streets of USA cities together with the threat of police defunding. However, the fact that atmospheric carbon dioxide (aka “CO2”, “carbon”) levels continue to rise during the COVID-19 lockdown is very good news. The lockdown has confirmed that our emissions are immaterial in determining the CO2 content of the atmosphere. Consequently, a CO2-induced climate emergency is impossible! Nevertheless, some who lack a knowledge of basic phase-equilibrium principles will mistakenly claim that this evidence suggests we must be more aggressive in curtailing our carbon emissions. They are unaware that natural ocean outgassing is the primary source of atmospheric CO2, which is essential in sustaining all life on Earth. Furthermore, it can be shown that CO2-emitting fuels are responsible for roughly 0.1 parts per million (ppm) per year. The consumption of all the known reserves of
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hydrocarbon fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) would result in a negligible CO2 increase of 100 ppm over a thousand years (e.g. 400 to 500 ppm). In normal times without the “pandemic” of climate-change groupthink, the debate would be over. The idea that we must curtail our CO2 emissions to avoid a climate emergency would be dismissed as nonsense, even by those who still mistakenly believe that CO2 is a major climate-control variable. Regardless of the facts, the prophets of doom are not about to give up their anti-CO2 campaign. Even though they admit that atmospheric CO2 is still increasing, they refuse to recognize the role played by our CO2 emissions. These emissions not only green the planet, they also increase the partial pressure of atmospheric CO2. This increase causes a redistribution of CO2 to restore, within a few weeks, the original distribution of CO2 between the two phases (atmosphere and oceans). The current distribution is about 50/1; that is, there is 50 times more CO2 in the oceans than in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the ongoing redistribution of CO2 will preserve a CO2-starved atmosphere, even after the consumption of all known reserves of coal, oil, and natural gas. Clearly, there is no need to destroy our economy by abandoning the use of hydrocarbon fuels. However, we must not abandon energy conservation and efficiency measures, nor abandon the pursuit of alternative sources of energy. The alarmists will not allow an inconvenient fact to deter them from promoting the “BIG LIE”, as demonstrated in the following articles. Thorpe
Cotopaxi Volcano 19,347 ft, 5,897 m. Near the Equator in Ecuador. Love our carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water-based world. Snow on the equator! Man-Made-ClimateDoom-Alarmists are determined to dominate a free, prosperous world. They must not succeed. Leaders and the public must listen to experts like Thorpe Watson. 2
REFERENCES
https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/7/21251188/carbon-dioxide-breaking-recordsclimate-change-coronavirus THE VERGE: Even with people staying in, carbon dioxide is breaking records The coronavirus is doing little to slow down climate change By Justine Calma@justcalma May 7, 2020, 5:35pm EDT
https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/record-global-carbondioxide-concentrations-despite-covid-19-crisis UN – ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME Record global carbon dioxide concentrations despite COVID-19 crisis 11 May 2020 The most recent data from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) shows global carbon dioxide (CO2) levels rising sharply.
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-coronavirus-lockdowncarbon-dioxide-a9508791.html INDEPENDENT Global carbon dioxide levels at record high despite coronavirus lockdown CO2 emissions are not only increasing but also accelerating, according to climate scientists. Louise Boyle, New York Monday 11 May 2020
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