A paper published yesterday in the journal "Science" by 18 researchers comes to a startling conclusion:
At the rate things are going, the Earth in the coming decades could cease to be a “safe operating space” for human beings. That is the conclusion of a new paper published Thursday in the journal Science by 18 researchers trying to gauge the breaking points in the natural world.
The paper contends that we have already crossed four “planetary boundaries.” They are the extinction rate; deforestation; the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; and the flow of nitrogen and phosphorous (used on land as fertilizer) into the ocean. (our emphasis)Here's the direct link to the "Science" paper.
Going forward, it's comforting to know knuckledraggers like Sen. James "Head-In-Hole"Inhofe (Chair, Committee on Environment & Public Works), Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz (Chair, Subcommittee on NASA), and Sen. Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio (Chair, Subcommittee on Oceans and Atmosphere) are only the tip of the (fast-melting) iceberg of climate- change- denying loons now in charge in Congress, isn't it?
(Thanks again to Democrats who couldn't be bothered to get up off their asses and vote in November.)
UPDATE: The hottest year since records have been kept? 2014.
