SCALES
Title
Quick Explanation
Learn more at
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
Atmospheric CO2 levels of between 280 and 350 parts per million created the climate that let humanity build and feed the modern world. The farther we get from those levels, the more we run the risk of disturbing that balance.
It can make sense to wait for low-carbon technology to improve in efficiency and cost, but to slow climate change we must balance what makes economic sense with what reduces emissions the fastest.
Pumping carbon dioxide deep underground can cause earthquakes under certain conditions, but there are ways to prevent this.
For long-range flights with many passengers, liquid fuels like hydrogen are probably our best bet.
Climate action is just one form of sustainability—a concept that asks us to see the big picture of what we are taking from the Earth, and how our actions affect future generations.
Carbon dioxide mixes evenly through the atmosphere. But the atmosphere as a whole is densest near the ground, so a cubic foot of air at ground level will contain more carbon dioxide molecules than a cubic foot of air high up in the sky.
Meat directly produces greenhouse gas emissions and requires more land and other resources than plant-based foods.
The short answer is that there is no hard enforcement in the Paris Agreement. But all the members regularly meet, share progress, and renew their pledges of climate action, encouraging every country to step up its commitments.
Hydropower is already a major source of power globally—it’s the largest source of renewable electricity and one of the fastest growing—but there are limited places to build hydropower, and large dams carry a number of social and environmental concerns.
