How 2023 Broke Our Climate Models with Neil deGrasse Tyson & Gavin Schmidt

StarTalk2 minutes read

Climate update reveals 2023 as the hottest year globally, with a focus on climate models, historical data, and the impact of phenomena like El Nino and La Nina. Efforts to reduce pollution inadvertently contribute to warming, with geoengineering solutions posing long-term risks, emphasizing the importance of making better decisions to combat global warming.

Insights

  • Gavin Schmidt emphasizes the critical role of climate models in forecasting future trends, highlighting their significance in understanding and addressing global temperature changes.
  • Efforts to combat global warming must consider the complexities of the CO2 echo system, where only half of emitted CO2 is immediately sequestered, necessitating a comprehensive approach to remove carbon dioxide from both the atmosphere and the ocean for effective mitigation strategies.

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Recent questions

  • What is the focus of the Godard Institute for Space Studies?

    Planetary atmospheres

  • How do El Nino and La Nina phenomena impact global temperatures?

    Exceptionally warm in 2023

  • What is the current state of the Solar Cycle?

    Heading towards a solar maximum

  • How do aerosols contribute to climate cooling?

    Reflect sunlight back into space

  • What are the consequences of reducing air pollution on climate change?

    Inadvertently contributed to warming

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Summary

00:00

Global Warming Trends and Climate Predictions

  • Star Talk with Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-host Paul Mrio provides a climate update.
  • The Godard Institute for Space Studies, a branch of NASA near the American Museum of Natural History, focuses on planetary atmospheres.
  • Gavin Schmidt, a climate scientist and modeler, discusses the importance of climate models in predicting future trends.
  • 2023 was recorded as the hottest year globally, with a significant increase in temperatures.
  • Historical data dating back to the late 19th century helps track global temperature changes.
  • The El Nino and La Nina phenomena impact global temperatures, with 2023 being exceptionally warm.
  • The Solar Cycle, currently heading towards a solar maximum, affects energy output and temperature shifts.
  • Aerosols, including pollutants, play a role in cooling the climate by reflecting sunlight back into space.
  • Efforts to reduce air pollution have inadvertently contributed to warming by removing cooling aerosols.
  • While geoengineering with aerosols is considered, the long-term consequences and risks make it an unsustainable solution.

14:26

"Global warming impacts and CO2 sequestration"

  • Global warming impacts could lead to turkeys basting in their own juices, apples baking on trees, and the ability to grill on George Foreman; however, making better decisions is crucial to slow down or stop these effects.
  • When reducing CO2 emissions, half of the ton put into the atmosphere is sequestered immediately, with the other half remaining in the atmosphere and ocean; removing a ton requires taking out half from the atmosphere and half from the ocean, creating a CO2 echo system to consider.
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