According to new research conducted by atmospheric scientists at Colorado State University, it would take at least a decade for Earth’s global temperatures to stabilize after achieving zero carbon emissions worldwide.
While this finding may seem discouraging, it should not discourage climate policies, as climate systems are complex, and this is to be expected, explains Pat Keys, assistant professor at CSU and co-author of a paper recently published in Environmental Research: Climate.
In fact, the research provides valuable insight into the future of our climate. Keys emphasizes that any potential increase in temperature should not be viewed as a failure of climate policies, but rather a consequence of the complexity of the climate system.
The study involved collaboration between researchers at CSU, Stanford, and other institutions, and aimed to understand the potential outcomes if all climate policies successfully achieved net zero emissions.
The results indicate that even under the most optimistic policy scenario, the world would experience record-breaking temperatures for a decade or more after achieving net zero emissions. This is because natural climate variability can still drive temperature increases during this period.
Elizabeth Barnes, professor at CSU, highlights the importance of understanding how internal climate variability can lead to different outcomes, as it can contribute to climate extremes even when net-zero policies are in place.
Studies like these contribute to the ongoing research and improvement of our understanding of climate change impacts and potential strategies for intervening in the climate.
More information:
Noah S Diffenbaugh et al, Probability of continued local-scale warming and extreme events during and after decarbonization, Environmental Research: Climate (2023). DOI: 10.1088/2752-5295/accf2f
Citation:
Cooling the planet: Work doesn’t stop at net zero, scientists say (2023, June 26)
retrieved 26 June 2023
from https://phys.org/news/2023-06-cooling-planet-doesnt-net-scientists.html
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