New, improved Was: Data Entry 1266

Various indirect means are used to estimate historical CO2 levels, such as gases trapped in glaciers and Antarctic ice, tree growth etc.

Yes, some CO2 does dissolve in sea water and is making the seas more acidic - this is starting to worry marine biologists as it affects coral growth. CO2 levels are the highest they've been for some 1-2 million years or so. Also some extra CO2 is locked up temporarily by increased plant growth, but is released again as the vegetation is eaten, burned or decays.

I would imagins some CO2 gets broken down, but not apparently as fast as we make it.

I know a couple of people involved in environmental monitoring (not connected with global pollution, but they keep up to speed on it) and as little as 10 years ago they were only mildly concerned about CO2 levels, but lately they've been adopting a worried tone. There's no doubt *something* has changed recently - quite what the change is, and what effect it will have no-one seems quite sure yet. That's why you've seen so much pressure to do something lately, it comes from the scientsts doing the research not the politicians, it took a *lot* of pressure to get them to make a move - evironmental issues are not a vote winner if it means the voter having to give something up!

-- Cheers, Stan Barr stanb .at. dial .dot. pipex .dot. com (Remove any digits from the addresses when mailing me.)

The future was never like this!