What if CO2 Doubled Overnight?

The emissions increase of CO2 shows the dependence degree of our

civilizations on fossil fuels, says Anna Jonnes from the British
Antarctic Survey,
pointing out that this increase is contrary to the limiting goals of
global warming to 1,5°C.
Due to this increase of CO2 level in the atmosphere the crops of
vegetables and cereals have increasingly lower values of proteins, iron
and zinc, and higher concentrations of sugars. The explanation is that
once the level of pollution and of CO2 rises in the atmosphere, it rises
the level of sugar from the plants too as these are absorbing CO 2 in
the photosyntesis process, and these are transforming it in energy.
The link between the CO2 level and the sugar content in agricultural
crops was noticed by a mathematician named Irakli Loladze who also
works in the biology field. He, along with other researchers, published
in 2000 a scientific paper on a similar topic. He studied then how a
higher amount of light affect the development of the zooplankton. For
living and feeding, these microscopic organisms rely on algae.
Scientists hvae done experiments in the past and found aut that if
there is more light, the algae will grow faster which means more food
for microorganisms. But at some point, the researchers noticed that
although the microorganisms had more algae to feed on, these were
not growing anymore. The biologists’ explanation was that although
algae grew faster, these had less nutrients necessary in the
microorganisms’ development. So that the algae were more, but less
nutritious.
An iron deficiency may cause anemia or it can increase the number
of infant mortality cases. The lack of proteins, often associated with
undernutrition, can result in development delay of the childrens. The
most exposed regions to these risks are North Africa, the Near East
and Asia, which can be explained by the eating habits from these
regions. The plants play an essential role in the zinc, iron and proteins
supplying. Of these, wheat, rice and corn „ contribute to about two
thirds of the amount of proteins, zinc and iron at global level.
However, wheat and rice are the most sensitive to CO 2 increasing
level from the atmosphere, while the corn is obvious less affected”,
explained Matthew Smith.
Only six countries produce almost 60 percent from carbon dioxide
emissions, one of the greenhouse gases that causes the global heat.
Together, China and the United States, which are in the top 2, are
responsible for more then 2 fifths of the amount of CO 2 released into
the atmosphere.
Business Insider notes that the future of the planet depends on the
taken measures by these states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, a
gase which contributes to the global warming.
Also, the commercial aircraft fueled with kerosene, a fossil fuel,
generate 600 million tones of CO2 every year( which means 1,64
million tones per day)
And release nitrogen oxides directly into troposphere, the center of
the meteorological phenomenons, where these oxidize, acting as gases
with strong greenhouse effect. Only between 1990 and 2003, the
emissions from the international air transport on the UE territory
increased with 73 percent and, according to the Airbus forecasts on
the global market, the number of the passenger aircraft in service will
double by 2025, reaching 27,307.
While gasoline is heavily taxed, the kerosene is extempted from
taxes worldwide. The international community has not been able to
agree who should be charged with the CO 2 emissions in the
international flight cases: the country of departure,the country of
arrival or the state that sold the kerosene?
In conclusion, if the amount of CO2 from the atmosphere( which
was 400P/m in 2016) would double overnight, a large part of the
global population have died quickly, not having enough nutritious
food, and the rest of the population have struggled to survive with the
remaining resources. Perhaps, the Third World War have begun.
Besides, the whole biosystem have suffered. David Black, associated
professor at New York University, says that „ it takes several
centuries to reduce the use of carbon-dependent energy resources to
reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmoshere”.

By Rusu Roxana (HM11)