Ceasing use of fossil fuels in Colorado (Howard Cork Hayden) USofA

Page 1

Ceasing use of fossil fuels in Colorado May 5, 2019 Dear Colorado Senators & Representatives, The graph below is from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), except that I have added some notes.

The total quantity of carbon in CO2 in the atmosphere at present is 839 Pg (peta grams). Annually the total flux of carbon into the atmosphere is 207 Pg. Of that 207 Pg, a total of 8 Pg is due to the combustion of fossil fuels. Of the 8 Pg, the United States is responsible for 2 Pg. Of the 2 Pg, Colorado is responsible for 0.04 Pg. To double the carbon concentration in the atmosphere will require the addition of 839 Pg, and according to the IPCC’s most-likely scenario, doubling the carbon concentration in the atmosphere would raise the temperature by 3 ºC (5.4 ºF). Therefore, if we immediately ceased all combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) every year we would forestall (please check my arithmetic) 3 ºC * (0.04/839) = 0.00014 ºC (0.00025 ºF) of warming. Doing GOOD: Ceasing all use of fossil fuels in Colorado would forestall 0.00025 ºF every year.

1


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.