...99 percent confident that the world really was getting warmer and that there was a high degree of probability that it was due to human-made greenhouse gases.
James HansenRead
Adding CO2 to the air is like throwing another blanket on the bed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote illustrates how increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere intensifies the greenhouse effect, similar to adding more layers of insulation.
James Hansen's quote compares the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to adding another blanket to a bed, highlighting how each layer contributes to an increase in temperature. Just as a blanket traps heat, CO2 traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, exacerbating global warming and climate change. This metaphor effectively conveys the urgency of addressing carbon emissions and understanding their impact on our environment.
Themes
Climate ChangeEnvironmentCarbon DioxideGreenhouse EffectEarth
In practice
Example use cases
During a climate change awareness event, one might say, 'As James Hansen put it, adding CO2 to the air is like throwing another blanket on the bed, reminding us of the urgent need to reduce emissions.'
More from James Hansen
All quotes βWe need to send a message to Congress and the president that we want them to take the actions that are needed to preserve climate for young people and future generations and all life on the planet.
James HansenRead
Coral reefs, the rain forest of the ocean, are home for one-third of the species of the sea. Coral reefs are under stress for several reasons, including warming of the ocean, but especially because of ocean acidification, a direct effect of added carbon dioxide. Ocean life dependent on carbonate shells and skeletons is threatened by dissolution as the ocean becomes more acid.
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Rising carbon price is essential to 'decarbonize' the economy - to remove the nation towards the era beyond fossil fuels.
James HansenRead
We have at most ten years - not ten years to decide upon action, but ten years to alter fundamentally the trajectory of global greenhouse emissions... We are near a tipping point, a point of no return, beyond which the built in momentum and feedbacks will carry us to levels of climate change with staggering consequences for humanity and all of the residents of this planet.
James HansenRead
'Goals' and 'caps' on carbon emissions are practically worthless, if coal emissions continue, because of the exceedingly long lifetime of carbon dioxide in the air.
James HansenRead
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