| Question | Quick Explanation | Learn more at |
|---|---|---|
| What is the most cost-effective way to buy carbon offsets? |
Offset sellers make it easy to compare prices across projects—but you should also make sure you can trust that your purchase is really keeping carbon out of the air.
|
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/what-most-cost-effective-way-buy-carbon-offsets |
| When scientists say the Earth has warmed by 1° Celsius, which parts of the planet are being measured? |
The parts of the planet being measured are our land and ocean surfaces: what we call global average surface temperatures.
|
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/when-scientists-say-earth-has-warmed-1deg-celsiu... |
| How are gases in the atmosphere analyzed and measured? |
By shining different kinds of light and radiation through air samples, scientists can tell which gases are absorbing or reacting to that light, and in what amounts
|
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-are-gases-atmosphere-analyzed-and-measured |
| How can carbon emissions from freight be reduced? |
Although most of the world’s cargo moves by ship, focusing on land may be the best way to reduce the carbon footprint of freight. |
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-can-carbon-emissions-freight-be-reduced |
| Why aren't biofuels more prevalent? |
Without new breakthroughs, producing much more biofuel than we do today might be a net-negative for the climate—and would definitely raise our fuel prices.
|
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/why-arent-biofuels-more-prevalent |
| Which parts of the planet are warming the fastest, and why? |
The earth's largest land masses and its north and south poles are warming the fastest, mainly because of differences in how these areas reflect energy from the sun
|
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/which-parts-planet-are-warming-fastest-and-why |
| Which parts of the planet are warming the fastest, and why? |
The earth's largest land masses and its north and south poles are warming the fastest, mainly because of differences in how these areas reflect energy from the sun. |
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/which-parts-planet-are-warming-fastest-and-why |
| Why do some people call climate change an “existential threat”? |
The phrase can refer to a literal threat to humanity’s existence, but also to the danger that unchecked climate change can pose to our ways of life and place in the natural world. |
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/why-do-some-people-call-climate-change-existenti... |
| Why do we compare methane to carbon dioxide over a 100-year timeframe? Are we underrating the importance of methane emissions? |
This greenhouse gas is short-lived but has far greater heat-trapping potential than CO2. The more concerned we are about global warming over the next 10 or 20 years, the more emphasis we have to put on cutting methane emissions
|
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/why-do-we-compare-methane-carbon-dioxide-over-10... |
| If cities require new buildings to use 100% electric heat, will that raise or lower their greenhouse gas emissions? |
Electric heating can cause a short-term rise in emissions in areas that get their electricity from fossil fuels. But without electric heat, we can’t get greenhouse gas emissions to zero
|
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/if-cities-require-new-buildings-use-100-electric... |