- review the relationship between ppm of CO2 and Gt C in the atmosphere
- estimate the rate of addition of carbon to the atmosphere due to fossil
fuel
consumption
- break down consumption by country and by type of activity
- estimate the rate of buildup of CO2 in the atmosphere, and how long
it will take
for the concentration to double at this rate
- note that the oceans are currently acting as a carbon sink
- discuss the processes that limit the uptake of carbon by the oceans
- discuss deforestation as an additional carbon source and reforestation
as a
means of sequestering carbon (temporarily)
- summarize fossil fuel reserves
- estimate upper limit of atmospheric CO2 rise that could occur as a
result of the
burning of fossil fuels
- clarify the distinction between the rate of buildup of CO2 (determined
by rate
of fossil fuel consumption) and the CO2 level (determined
by cumulative past
consumption)-- the text has diagrams for various
IPCC scenarios