“We are still learning how exactly the Earth reacts to increased CO2 and other greenhouse gases. We know it leads to warming seas which are melting the North and the South Poles, rising and starting to swallow entire coastal areas in the US and elsewhere, as the New York Times article documents.” KnowsStillsEarthSeaNew YorkAreasSouthStartingRisingArticlesElsewhereDocumentsMeltingNew York TimesGreenhousesGreenhouse GasesCo2Coastal Author:Graciela Chichilnisky
“We have used the majority of our carbon budget and we are already at dangerous levels of CO2 concentrations, about 400 parts per million. The levels were 250 before industrialization. So the problem is what we have done already and, therefore, what must be undone.” DoneProblemUsedLevelsMillionsDangerousMajorityBudgetsConcentrationCarbonUndoneCo2Industrialization Author:Graciela Chichilnisky
“Even if we planted a tree on every square yard available in the planet by the end of the century we would only capture at most 10 percent of the CO2 we need to reduce. This does not mean that we should not plant trees; we should, for biodiversity's sake, and for our long-term future together with the other species.” IfsNeedsShouldMeanLongDoeEndsTogetherTermTreeCenturyPlanetsPercentPlantSpeciesSakeAvailableLong TermCaptureSquaresYardsBiodiversityPlant A TreeCo2Futures Together Author:Graciela Chichilnisky
“Changing the world's oceans to increase their uptake of CO2, as other geoengineering solutions propose, is equally dangerous, as the increased resulting acidity of the oceans kills tiny crustaceans, such as krill, that are the basis of the pyramid of life on the planet as we know it.” KnowsWorldDangerousPlanetsOceanSolutionsBasesIncreaseTinyChanging The WorldProposePyramidsCo2Geoengineering Author:Graciela Chichilnisky
“We have to remove the CO2 that the industrial economy has already emitted, which otherwise will remain in the atmosphere for hundreds of years and alter the Earth's climate irreversibly. It is possible to do this.” YearsEarthEconomyClimateAtmosphereRemoveCo2 Author:Graciela Chichilnisky
“CO2 from air can replace petroleum: it can produce plastics and acetate, it can produce carbon fibers that replace metals and clean hydrocarbons, such as synthetic gasoline. We can use CO2 to desalinate water, enhance the production of vegetables and fruit in greenhouses, carbonate our beverages and produce biofertilizers that enhance the productivity of the soil without poisoning it. Carbon negative technology is absolutely needed now.” UseWaterTechnologyAirProduceNeededNegativeCleanFruitProductionsProductivitySoilVegetablesMetalsPlasticCarbonFiberPoisoningGreenhousesGasolineCo2SyntheticBeveragesPetroleumHydrocarbons Author:Graciela Chichilnisky
