The Earth is getting darker…..
A new report from PNAS confirms our research, which provides a definitive explanation for climate disruption.
The darkening of the planet is linked to anthropogenic pollution and loss of nature, which represents an existential threat to the survival of at least 90% of humanity. No amount of denial will stop this process; we either deal with the issues or suffer the consequences.
Irrespective of your beliefs on climate change, the loss of nature and the marine life support system for the planet will be complete over the next 20 years, but shifting baseline syndrome has blinded most people to the problem. There is no way out; 74% of nature has been gone since 1970 and 90% since 1900. We have also passed most of the planetary boundaries, but we continue to ignore the alarm bells.
David Attenborough, in his last film, Ocean, stated that marine life was much more important than terrestrial life. Most marine life is under 1 mm in size with a doubling time of just 3 days, so there is hope to recover the oceans, but only if we can take the toxic brakes off nature
There are three issues:
1. Partially combusted black carbon soot pollutes the Arctic and makes the snow and ice darker, which absorbs more radiation. This is responsible for 25% to 50% of all ice melt, maybe more.
2. Partially combusted carbon, microplastics and lipophilic toxic chemicals destroy the SML, the ocean surface micro-layer.
3. Ocean acidification
The SML is formed by certain groups of plants/phytoplankton that produce omega-3 oil and surfactants that form the micron-thick skin on the surface of the world’s oceans, 71% of the entire planet. The problem is that pollution is killing plankton and destroying the SML. The SML slows down the rate of water evaporation by up to 50%; this results in higher humidity. Water represents 75% of all GHG greenhouse gases; this is why the planet is getting hotter.
The SML is also responsible for biogenic aerosols, nucleation of water vapour and formation of clouds. Clouds and rain are like the safety valve for the climate; rain releases the energy and helps to cool the planet. Clouds also help reflect energy back into space.
Over the last 50 years, humidity has increased by 10%, and cloud formation has decreased by 10%. This is why we have climate disruption.
As a matter of urgency, we need to eliminate pollution and regenerate ecosystems. The process can be slowed down to buy us more time by a biomimicry process for cloud formation and construction of a simulated SML combined with increasing oceanic pH and dropping water zeta potential.
https://lnkd.in/eGTtqsdX
The GOES report explains the mechanism: https://lnkd.in/ev6_2cXN
https://lnkd.in/eGzXkrwA
