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Carbon majors' past emissions will impact climate for decades
A new study published in PLOS Climate indicates that past emissions from 'carbon majors'—the top 178 producers of oil, gas, coal, and cement—will continue to impact the Earth's environment for decades.
Researchers from the University of Washington, including Dargan Frierson and Lauren Henrie, found that even if greenhouse gas emissions were to drop immediately, the environment would not return to its previous state. The carbon majors have historically emitted over one trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide, a significant portion of which will remain in the atmosphere for millennia, trapping heat.
The study suggests that Earth will likely remain approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. The researchers noted that advancements in attribution science are increasingly being used to link extreme weather events to fossil fuel combustion, providing a foundation for legal actions aimed at holding major emitters accountable for climate-related damages.
Entities
Dargan Frierson · ExxonMobil · Lauren Henrie · PLOS Climate · Shell · University of Washington
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Carbon majors have historically emitted more than one trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide. www.enerzine.com · theshillongtimes.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Even if emissions stop, Earth is expected to remain approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures. www.enerzine.com · theshillongtimes.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The study focuses on 178 major producers of oil, gas, coal, and cement. www.enerzine.com · theshillongtimes.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Emissions from the top 178 oil, gas, coal, and cement producers will continue to impact the environment for decades. www.enerzine.com · theshillongtimes.com · gizmodo.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The study results were published in the journal PLOS Climate. www.enerzine.com · theshillongtimes.com