From current carbon trends to climate stabilization
Pep Canadell
Executive Director Global Carbon Project
CSIRO, Australia
Monday, 16 February 2015
4:45 – 6:00 PM
ARD Large Pod
The atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide from
human activities, leading to climate change, is the result
of a fine balance between emissions and the partial
removal of those emissions by natural CO2 sinks in the
oceans and on land. I’ll provide an update on the global
sources and sinks of carbon dioxide. First, the current
trends in fossil fuel emissions, which together with the
mitigation commitments by some of the largest emitters, provide insights into plausible climate
scenarios over the coming decades. A key discussion in this context is the large role expected from landbased mitigation options to achieve low temperature targets versus what the environment might
sustainably produce. Second, I’ll discuss trends of the natural carbon sinks on land and oceans, and
particularly changes in observed vegetation structure and function and its possible consequences for
future climate.
Sponsored by The Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, and Climate Science and
Solutions, Northern Arizona University