Basically, we’re looking at a cycle that begins with rising greenhouse emissions due to burning of fossil fuels, and translates into increased natural emissions due to rise in temperatures. This means that climate change will proceed faster than expected.
These are not mere hypotheses but result-oriented studies which are bringing this phenomenon to light. Researchers examined methane emissions from three different lakes. With rise in temperature, methane emissions also increased significantly.
A temperature increase of around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius resulted in twice the amount of methane emissions. The results have further strengthened the scientific claim that human emissions are also increasing natural emissions.
With the Paris climate talks closer than ever, this study has more importance than most. Several studies have made breath-taking revelations about the trend of climate change. But the fact that increased natural emissions, on account of human emissions, are contributing towards climate change is shocking.
With climate justice sounding alarms ahead of the Paris talks, an agreement on keeping global warming at 2 degrees Celsius is the topmost priority for the world. But will global leaders give due weightage to such studies which involve more relevant figures and findings? That and much more remains to be seen as Paris hopes to script a global climate change policy.
(Featured Image Credit: graceuniversity.com)