Global Warming Podcast #2

Robyn Williams introduces Dr. Pittock, who is the author of Climate Change: Turning Up the Heat. Dr. Pittock talks about the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. She says that the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has gone up by 1/3, it has increased from around 280 parts per million to 380 parts per million. The number also increses every year. When these gases increase they absorb more of the heat that is coming off the Earth, which heats up the climate. Dr. Pittock gives some evidence that indicates that the Earth is actually heating up. She says that sea surface temperatures are increasing, more than 80% of glaciers are retreating, Artic sea ice is receding, tree lines on mountains are going up, plants are flowering early in the spring, the growth rings in trees show warming, and the isotopic measurements in ice cores indicate warming. She explains how we must reduce our greenhouse gases, and that the capture of carbon will take a long time to show a positive progress. Dr. Pittock explains how 70-80% of reductions of the greenhouse gases are needed by 2100 to avoid "a potentially disastrous climate change". She also says how potentially other forms sources of energy are to come in the future, but first we must aquire the technology in order to make these alternative energies.