Scientists Say Only 10 Years Left to Save the Planet

The planet, as we know it, has been given a deadline: 10 years. According to the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, if humans don't reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically and maintain carbon sinks, like forests, then the results will be catastrophic for the climate. But they've developed a model that they believe could do the trick.

Cassie Kelly writes about
 having just a decade left to
save our planet.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, outlines a plan that could simultaneously account for carbon uptake by plants and carbon release by anthropogenic (human-induced) activities.

"The study shows that the combined energy and land-use system should deliver zero net anthropogenic emissions well before 2040 in order to assure the attainability of a 1.5°C target by 2100," said Michael Obersteiner, coauthor and IIASA director.

Read Cassie Kelly's EcoWatch story - “Scientists Say Only 10 Years Left to Save the Planet.”

Grandsons oblivious to the damage we are causing to our coral

by Robert McLean

Australia's coral is feeling the heat.

My grandsons are just four and six, live in Queensland and are oblivious to the damage we are causing to the earth’s atmosphere and one of the world’s wonders which is quite nearby.

What we are doing may soon, however, cause irreparable damage to the Great Barrier Reef.

The urgency for us to pay attention to what is happening at the reef and subsequently act upon the causes has been highlighted in a story headed: “Marine heat waves have cause ‘almost unprecedented’ damage to Australian coral" published by Climate Progress.

The story explains the almost 90 per cent of the heat created by anthropogenic climate change is being absorbed by our oceans and that is damaging the coral.

The Climate Progress story considers Western Australian coral and is based on details from University of Western Australia five-year study.

I have encouraged my daughter to take her sons to see the Great Barrier Reef, soon.