Climate change DOUBT: Study shows carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere are OVERSTATED
CLIMATE change forecasts may be overestimates due to a failure to take into account how plants absorb carbon dioxide, scientists warned today.
Published: 20:00, Mon, October 13, 2014
They said the impact of rising CO2 levels on plant growth has been underestimated by 16 per cent.
And as plants absorb CO2, this has led to overestimates of how much of the greenhouse gas is left in the atmosphere.
Climate sceptics said the study by American scientists is yet more proof that the science of climate change is not settled and is instead much more complicated than previously thought.
And one leading climate scientist said the paper suggests that cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases may not need to be as deep to keep global warming below what is seen as the critical increase of 2C.
This casts doubt on the drive for costly anti-pollution measures such as wind farms.
When government gains the power to control the use of private property, it becomes possible for the politically dominant to profit by high commodity prices using government regulation to constrain supply. One merely drives competitors out of business by manipulating the perception of risk to a land use preferred by a democratic majority.
- Mark Edward Vande Pol