Would removing CO2 from the atmosphere to pre-industrial levels have an immediate or longer term effect on our climate if at all?

Question

Ive read that our carbon emissions have basically started a cascade effect that we can’t limit now. IS this right or wrong?

In: 840

Answer 1

Define “immediate”. If you magicked it away today, would you notice tomorrow? You might notice that the air is measurably cleaner, but it won’t necessarily make the ice start growing again in the glaciers.

The problem is that due to the increasing temperatures we’ve started melting glaciers and other ice, especially in the artic and antarctic circles. Ice reflects a bunch of sunlight, while water, due to its darker color, absorbs more of it. The oceans in general have reached higher temperatures, and getting that heat out will take a long time. And this is just one of the systems that we’ve already royally fucked by letting it come this far.

But! That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try and do something. Reducing/removing greenhouse gasses is the best and safest way of trying to preserve life as we know it.